Cooper Flagg is starting to look every bit the No. 1 overall pick the Mavericks hoped for-and maybe more.
After a rocky start to his rookie campaign, Flagg has found his rhythm in Dallas, adjusting to the pace and physicality of the NBA with the kind of versatility that jumps off the screen. Whether it's his shot-making, defensive instincts, or feel for the game, the 19-year-old forward is beginning to show why the Mavericks were willing to reset their future around him.
That future, of course, came into focus after one of the most shocking trades in recent memory-Dallas dealing Luka Dončić to the Lakers. It was a seismic shift, and while it’s still early, Flagg’s emergence is starting to ease the sting. He’s not Luka-not yet, and maybe never-but he’s giving Mavs fans real hope that the next franchise cornerstone is already in the building.
DeMarcus Cousins, speaking on Run It Back, put it plainly: it’s too soon to make sweeping declarations.
"That's a conversation down the line," Cousins said. "It's hard to make a judgment on a rookie in his rookie season.
You know what I mean? I think everybody knows this kid's gonna be really, really good in the NBA.
But do we know if he turns into a Luka Dončić in the next three to four years? That's still in the air.
We don't know."
And Cousins is right to pump the brakes. Dončić is a five-time All-NBA First Team selection and the engine that drove Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals.
That’s a high bar-maybe the highest. But Flagg has shown flashes that make you believe he’s not just another promising young player-he could be the guy.
This kid's [Cooper Flagg] gonna be really, really good in the NBA. Do we if he turns into a Luka Doncic in the next 3-4 years?"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 2, 2026
DeMarcus Cousins says that the Mavs have not yet made up for losing Luka by drafting Cooper Flagg 🗣️
(via @RunItBackFDTV)
pic.twitter.com/rH1WeARxyG
Case in point: his recent 49-point explosion, the most ever scored by a teenager in a single NBA game. It wasn’t just the number-it was how he did it. Confident pull-ups, tough finishes, smart cuts, and an edge that suggests he’s not just here to develop-he’s here to compete.
Yes, the Mavericks are still figuring things out as a team. The standings haven’t been kind, and there’s plenty of growing still to do. But Flagg has been a bright spot, a nightly reminder that the future might arrive faster than expected.
He’s got the tools. He’s got the mentality. And if he keeps trending upward, it won’t be long before even the toughest critics-Cousins included-start giving him his due.