The Mavericks may have lost Luka Doncic, but they’ve landed in a place that feels oddly familiar: watching a young star rocket from promising to overwhelming in a hurry.
Cooper Flagg is already tracking toward the kind of second-year explosion Doncic once made. The two don’t play anything alike, but the jump from year one to year two is starting to look strikingly similar. Doncic went from Rookie of the Year to bona fide superstar in his second season, and Flagg is making his own case with a rapid rise in points, assists, and steals.
Through 10 games this season, Flagg is averaging 25.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game.
The numbers are one thing. The way he’s doing it is another.
Dallas has a much stronger supporting cast this season, with Kyrie Irving and company back in the mix, but the Mavericks wouldn’t be 7-4 without Flagg playing at an All-Star level. He’s bringing energy every night, making a bigger defensive impact than he did as a rookie, and looking far more comfortable handling the ball. After spending time at point guard last season, he’s reading defenses with more control and making better decisions as a playmaker.
That growth was on full display Monday against the Indiana Pacers, when Flagg poured in a season-high 43 points and delivered multiple clutch buckets to close out the win on the second night of a back-to-back.
At this point, it’s tough to argue he isn’t already a top-15 player in the NBA.
He’s also doing it while being roughly a year younger than Doncic was in his second season, which only makes the ceiling feel even more intimidating. Flagg’s age adds another layer to what he’s already showing: this isn’t just a hot start, it’s the kind of production that rarely comes from a teenager.
Doncic’s second season wasn’t just about individual brilliance, either. The Mavericks weren’t expected to make the playoffs then, and they weren’t supposed to get there this quickly now. But through 11 games, Dallas has a real shot at returning to the postseason, and Flagg would have a legitimate All-NBA case if the season ended today.
What he’s doing at 19 is rare enough to stand on its own. The combination of competitiveness, feel, athleticism, size, and relentlessness puts him in rare company, with the modern-era comparison pointing straight to LeBron James.
For Mavericks fans, the Doncic trade saga was brutal. But with Flagg already looking like a superstar before he’s even legally allowed to drink, there’s a new era taking shape fast in Dallas.
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Cooper Flagg has been one of the players reflecting that shift, both in the way he is producing and in the way he describes the group around him. The rookie has pointed to a more positive atmosphere inside the locker room, a notable contrast from the heavier tone that came with last season's struggles, and it is one more sign that the Mavericks believe the reset is starting to take hold. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Flagg Is Already Forcing The Mavericks To Rethink Everything
Cooper Flaggs second NBA season has already changed the conversation around the Mavericks. Through his first 10 games, he has been producing across the board at a level that looks far beyond a normal early-career leap, and the buzz around him has only grown as teammates and analysts watch his development accelerate in real time. What looked like a promising young piece is starting to feel like a player Dallas may need to build around sooner than expected.
The latest reminder came in a big scoring night against Indiana, when Flagg poured in 43 points and helped push Dallas to another win. The performance only added to the sense that his ceiling is rising fast, with talk already centering on his All-Star potential and his importance to the Mavericks long-term plans. For a team trying to sort out its direction, Flagg is making the future look a lot more immediate. [Read more 🡒]