Cooper Flagg is no longer just the rookie with sky-high potential-he’s becoming the engine that drives the Dallas Mavericks. After a slower-than-expected start to his NBA career, the No. 1 overall pick has found his rhythm, and Tuesday night’s matchup against the defending champion Denver Nuggets was another big step forward.
Flagg entered the game averaging 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Those are strong numbers for a first-year player, but they only tell part of the story.
His outside shooting has been the one glaring weakness so far, with his three-point percentage sitting at just 24.2%. But defensively, he’s been as advertised-long, active, and disruptive.
And when the Mavericks are clicking, you can feel Flagg’s fingerprints all over the game.
Against the Nuggets, Flagg didn’t just show up-he took over. In the first half alone, the rookie lit up the scoreboard with 22 points while adding four rebounds and four assists.
He was surgical with his shot selection, missing just once from the field and drilling all three of his attempts from deep. That’s the kind of efficiency Dallas has been waiting to see, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Mavericks went into halftime with a 66-56 lead, thanks in large part to Flagg’s offensive explosion. But it wasn’t just about the scoring-his feel for the game continues to shine. Whether it’s making the extra pass, rotating on defense, or running the floor in transition, Flagg is showing why Dallas was so high on him in the draft.
This kind of performance against a team like Denver-anchored by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic-isn’t just a good night. It’s a statement. Flagg didn’t look like a rookie out there; he looked like a cornerstone.
There’s still a long road ahead for the Mavericks, especially in a loaded Western Conference. But if Flagg keeps trending upward like this, Dallas might have found its next franchise star-and maybe, just maybe, a path back into the playoff mix.