The Dallas Mavericks are in the middle of a brutal six-game losing streak, and while that slide may be nudging them closer to the lottery, there’s one undeniable bright spot: Cooper Flagg is starting to look like the real deal.
Over the last four games, Flagg has been on an absolute tear. He’s not just putting up numbers-he’s doing it with a level of poise and control that’s rare for a 19-year-old rookie. Head coach Jason Kidd sees it too, and he’s not holding back on the praise.
“I think his calmness. His nerve.
He’s not afraid of the moment,” Kidd said when asked what stands out about Flagg’s game. “The bigger the stage, the bigger the light, the bigger game he has.
It’s all about winning. He wants to win.
The 49 [points], the 36, they all have Ls behind it. He wants to change that.
He wants to win. For him, I think the great ones learn how to change those Ls into Ws.
And he’s gonna be one of those.”
That kind of composure under pressure is something you usually see from seasoned vets-not teenagers in their first NBA season. And while Luka Dončić drew similar praise when he arrived in Dallas, Flagg is carving out his own identity. He may not have Luka’s offensive arsenal just yet, but he’s making an impact on both ends of the floor, showing a two-way game that gives the Mavericks a foundation to build on.
One moment that really captured Flagg’s fearlessness came in his 49-point explosion against the Hornets. With just over 30 seconds left and the game on the line, Flagg pulled up and drilled a tough three over Moussa Diabate to tie it-despite being a sub-30% shooter from deep.
That’s not a shot most rookies would take, let alone make. But Flagg didn’t blink.
He took the moment and made it his, nearly willing Dallas to a win and setting the franchise rookie scoring record in the process.
That’s the kind of stuff that separates good young players from future stars.
Flagg came into the league with plenty of hype after his time at Duke, but few expected his offensive game to be this far along this early. Sure, there’s still work to be done-his jumper can be streaky, and he’s still refining his shot selection-but he’s already showing an uncanny ability to create for himself in tight spots.
Even when the shot looks awkward or heavily contested, he finds a way to get it to go. And around the rim?
He’s finishing like a seasoned pro.
What Kidd keeps coming back to is Flagg’s mental makeup. The calm.
The control. The refusal to shrink when the lights get bright.
That’s the stuff you can’t teach. And that’s what gives the Mavericks hope, even in the middle of this rough patch.
Dallas made a clear statement when they moved on from Anthony Davis to give Flagg the keys to the franchise. And while the losses are stacking up right now, Flagg’s growth is the kind of thing that can turn a rebuild into a resurgence quicker than expected.
He’s not just putting up big numbers-he’s doing it with a presence that suggests he’s built for the big stage. At 19, Cooper Flagg is already showing flashes of greatness. And if this is just the beginning, the Mavericks might have something special on their hands.