Cooper Flagg is walking into his second NBA season with a new voice on the sideline, and Dusty May is wasting no time putting the spotlight on just how much the Dallas Mavericks expect from him.
May, who replaced Jason Kidd after the Mavericks decided to move on from him, praised the former Duke star in a recent comment that centered on Flagg’s upside, maturity, and all-around game.
“With Coop, it’s just continuing to add to his game,” May said. “There’s a real responsibility to make sure he becomes the absolute best he can be. And when you have the drive, the competitive spirit, and then the versatility as a player that he has, the sky’s the limit.”
Flagg’s path to this point has moved quickly. After one season at Duke, where he was always viewed as a one-and-done talent, he entered the NBA and went No. 1 overall to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
He then backed up the hype right away as a rookie, appearing in 70 regular season games and putting together a stat line that turned heads: 21 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks. He also shot 46.8 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from three.
For a 19-year-old, that kind of production is no small thing. It’s the kind of season that keeps the ceiling conversation alive, and May clearly sees the same thing others do.
“To be 19 years old and to have all of this thrown at him like he has, it’s a real testament to his maturity and the people that surround him to keep him grounded, because he’s a normal guy,” May said. “But at every level of basketball he’s impacted winning at the highest level, and so that’s what we expect him to do here, whatever the game requires.”
May also pointed to what makes Flagg such a rare piece to build around.
“I think he’s so unique,” May said. “He could get 10 assists, 15 assists.
He could get 10 or 15 rebounds, and then obviously we all know he can score the ball in a number of ways. So it’s going to be fun to be a part of his journey.”
Now heading into the 2026-27 NBA campaign, Flagg carries the kind of expectations that come with being a former No. 1 pick who already delivered a strong rookie year. The next step will be meeting that standard again, and maybe even raising it.
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Tulane managed only 258 total yards, a sign of how much cleaner and more controlled the Blue Devils looked on that side of the ball. In his postgame press conference, Manny Diaz pointed to the defenses pride and the progress it has made, the kind of early-season message that can matter if Duke wants this opener to be more than just a solid start. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Can Make An Early Statement Against Illinois In One Key Area
Illinois already knows the first roadblock in this matchup: run defense. After giving up 194 rushing yards to UAB in Week 1, the Illini head into a meeting with a Duke offense that can lean on the ground game, giving the Blue Devils a chance to make an early statement in one area that usually travels well. For a Duke team looking to control the tone, that kind of edge can matter just as much as any passing-game fireworks.
The pressure is on Illinois defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck to get the run fits cleaned up quickly, and the tackling grade will be watched closely after Bret Bielema pointed to that issue last week. Dukes backs will test every missed angle and every soft tackle, which makes this a simple but revealing matchup for both sides. If Illinois can hold up, it will show real progress. If not, the Blue Devils could spend the afternoon dictating terms on the ground. [Read more 🡒]