Cooper Flagg’s Star Is Rising - But the Whistle Still Isn’t Coming
Cooper Flagg is quickly becoming one of the most electrifying young players in the NBA. The rookie forward has dropped 83 points over his last two games, and he’s doing it with a fearlessness that’s hard to ignore. But while his game is turning heads, the officials haven’t quite caught up to the hype - at least not when it comes to the whistle.
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 force with a relentless motor, isn’t lighting it up from deep just yet. His game is built around attacking the rim and working the midrange, where he uses his size, quickness, and body control to create looks.
But here’s the catch: despite the contact he’s absorbing on a nightly basis, the free throw line isn’t seeing much of him. He’s averaging just 4.5 attempts per game - a surprisingly low number for someone who lives in the paint.
The lack of calls came to a head during the Mavericks’ recent loss to the Houston Rockets. Fans were vocal about it online, but things escalated when head coach Jason Kidd didn’t hold back postgame.
“I saw a foul,” Kidd said bluntly. “Sean [Wright], Simone [Jelks], and Jason [Goldenberg] were awful tonight.
The referees were unacceptable. It’s a foul, and he needs to be at the free-throw line.
Now, does he make both? That’s up to the player, but the referees did not do their job.
They were terrible.”
Kidd’s frustration was raw and direct - and it echoed what Mavs fans have been shouting at their screens for weeks.
But the conversation didn’t stop there.
Mark Cuban, the team’s former majority owner and still one of the most vocal figures around the franchise, took to social media to amplify the message. Cuban didn’t just vent - he launched a full-on campaign.
“When every touch was a foul last month, [Flagg] didn’t get any calls,” Cuban wrote. “Then the crew chiefs made the decision there should be more physicality, changing how they call the games mid-season, like they did a couple years ago. So now not only does Coop still not get any calls, he gets hammered more often.”
And then came the call to action: “We need help from Mavs Nation. When you see an obvious no-call on a drive, post it here, there and everywhere and tag @OfficialNBARefs.”
It’s not every day you see someone of Cuban’s stature rallying the fanbase to publicly pressure the league’s officiating crew. But that’s exactly what’s happening. He’s turning frustration into a movement - and judging by the response, Mavericks fans are fully on board.
Now, whether this campaign actually moves the needle with the league’s officiating office remains to be seen. The NBA has long walked a fine line between letting rookies earn their stripes and protecting its young stars. But if Flagg keeps playing at this level - and keeps getting knocked around without the whistle - the pressure on the league to respond is only going to grow.
One thing’s for sure: Cooper Flagg isn’t backing down. And with Kidd and Cuban both going to bat for him, the message is clear - the Mavericks believe their rookie deserves the same respect as anyone else attacking the rim.
If the officials start to listen, we may be looking at the beginning of something special. If they don’t? Well, the noise around Flagg’s whistle - or lack thereof - is only going to get louder.