Cooper Flagg’s offseason growth has given the Mavericks another reason to feel good about what’s ahead.
At Dallas Mavericks Media Day, Flagg confirmed he’s now 6-foot-10 without shoes after growing over the summer. That extra inch won’t make him a superstar by itself, but it does sharpen the edge he already brings on both ends of the floor and makes his climb toward becoming one of the NBA’s faces look a little smoother.
In a league built on size and versatility, even one more inch matters. For Flagg, it should help in a few obvious places: as a weak-side shot-blocker, when he’s finishing at the rim, and when he’s trying to get shots off over bigger defenders.
The timing is notable, too. Flagg entered the league at 18, so he’s not following the usual script of a player who’s already done growing by the time he reaches the NBA. Instead, the Mavericks get the rare bonus of a young talent still adding to his frame.
That matters because Flagg already brings the kind of work ethic that keeps raising the ceiling. He’s spent the offseason working on his shooting and other parts of his game, and Kyrie Irving’s return to the lineup should ease some of the offensive load. That could let Flagg spend more time in the kind of play-finishing roles where his tools really pop.
The bigger picture hasn’t changed: Flagg’s size, skill and age already put him in rare territory. There’s a real case that All-NBA and All-Star status are within reach this season, depending on how big the leap is.
Dallas has plenty to be excited about in what the source describes as Flagg’s sophomore season. His ball-handling and finishing were already ahead of what many expected at this point, and now the Mavericks can add one more number to the list: 6-foot-10. That may not be the whole story, but it certainly makes the next chapter easier to imagine.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg Mania Is Already Reaching Another Level In Dallas
Cooper Flaggs arrival in Dallas is already spilling far beyond the court, with his one-of-one Topps Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card drawing jaw-dropping attention before he has even settled into an NBA routine. The card, which features a patch from the jersey he wore in his debut, sold for $8.04 million in Fanatics Collects September Premier Auction and set five records, including the highest price ever for a basketball card featuring a single player and for a Mavericks card.
It was graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA and became the latest symbol of how quickly Flagg has turned into a national obsession. The sale also topped every previous Rookie Debut Patch card price, a reminder that the hype around Dallas newest centerpiece is now extending well beyond ticket sales and into the high-end collectibles world. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Powell Is Back But Dallas Has A Real Roster Question
Dwight Powell is back with the Mavericks and is set to report to training camp, keeping one of the franchises most familiar faces in the building as Dallas sorts through the final edges of its roster. Powell remains the teams longest-tenured player, and even with the roster already filling out around the 15 standard contracts and two-way spots, he still has a place in camp as his career with the Mavericks continues.
What makes the situation worth watching is that Powell arrives in camp without a contract slot currently attached to him, a reminder that Dallas is carrying more than just basketball decisions into October. The Mavs know what Powell has meant to the organization over the years, and his presence gives them another experienced veteran in the room, but it also leaves a real roster question hanging over how the team wants to handle the last part of its build. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Puts A New Mavericks Reality Into Focus
Kyrie Irving is set to return to NBA action after an 18-month absence, and his comeback arrives at a moment when the Mavericks are trying to settle into a new shape around him. After tearing his left ACL, Irving spent the last stretch working his way back with the expectation that Dallas will keep an eye on his workload, but the bigger takeaway is that he now looks ready to rejoin the team as more than just a scorer. He has talked through the recovery process as something that tested him and left him determined to make an impact again.
For Dallas, the timing matters because Irvings return restores one of the leagues most skilled guards to a roster that has been waiting a long time to see what this version of the team can become. Irving has said he is prepared to contribute as a player and as a leader, and the Mavericks will now have to sort out how quickly he can slide back into rhythm while the seasons bigger questions keep moving around him. The health part is only the start - what comes next is how the team adapts to having him back in the picture. [Read more 🡒]