Cooper Flagg is set for another major milestone on Wednesday night, as he plays his first-ever NBA regular season game for the Dallas Mavericks.
And as this year’s first overall draft pick begins his professional career in earnest against the San Antonio Spurs, his new team might be using him in an unconventional way.
Flagg stands at 6-foot-9 and is listed as a forward. But if preseason action and comments from his Mavericks coach are any indication, Flagg could very quickly be playing floor general for Dallas in a role as point guard.
Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving remains out with an injury, and Dallas could turn to Flagg for a share of the ballhandling responsibilities. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd is comfortable with the rookie playing that role, and so are Flagg’s Maine high school coach and longtime trainer.
“He’s best with the ball in transition,” said Earl Anderson, Flagg’s head coach on the 2022 Maine state champion Nokomis Regional High School team. “The NBA regular season is a transition game — that’s his wheelhouse, having the ball in transition, because he’s just so good at making the right decision, making the right pass at the right time.”
That helps explain why Flagg has excelled at every level, from Nokomis to Duke University and now on the precipice of his NBA career in Dallas.
Flagg’s longtime player development coach, Matt MacKenzie, has been training with him throughout those various stops along the way, and he has little doubt that the 18-year-old can step into that playmaking role for Dallas.
“I expect Cooper, like any challenge put in front of him, will handle the pressure and expectations of having the ball in hands as a playmaker like a pro,” MacKenzie said Tuesday. “One of his greatest strengths is his ability to adapt to what is expected of him. He’s a highly intelligent basketball player and he’s obviously very skilled.”
MacKenzie, who owns Eastern Maine Sports Academy in Veazie where Flagg was seen draining 3-pointers while back in Maine over the summer, anticipates that the heralded rookie will keep building on his connection with his new teammates.
“He will continue to develop chemistry with his Mavs teammates, learn their strengths, their tendencies, and the timing of some of the actions they like to play through,” MacKenzie said. “As that process develops, Cooper is only going to continue to elevate his own game, but also the success of those around him.”
Anderson likened Flagg’s ability as a distributor to that of NBA legend Magic Johnson.
“You know, Magic Johnson was a great scorer, but he was a better passer. I mean, his greatness was his vision and court awareness and ability to see the floor and make the right pass at the right time.” Anderson said. “That’s Cooper. Cooper’s always done that at every level, any team he’s ever played for.”
That court vision and passing ability has always been part of Flagg’s game, according to Anderson.
“He’s tremendous with the ball, just because of his vision, and court awareness, and ability to deliver to the right person at the right time — and see the game in slow motion,” Anderson said.
Flagg may see the game in slow motion, but basketball fans have watched him skyrocket to great heights at astounding speeds. He enters the NBA at an age when he really should be starting his college career, but after reclassifying and skipping a year in high school, Flagg has cut an accelerated path to the highest level.
Despite that quick rise, MacKenzie expects Flagg to be exceedingly prepared for the moment.
“Cooper is dialed in,” MacKenzie said. “He’s been very intentional with his preparation for the upcoming season — not only in recent weeks, but dating back to the week after he finished his lone season at Duke.”
MacKenzie said Flagg has built professional habits across many facets of his daily routine.
“From his strength and conditioning, body work, recovery, and nutrition to the continued nuances he’s added to his skill set on the court and his growth as a student of the game,” MacKenzie said. “He’s as ready as any rookie coming into the league could be, and I know he’s excited for Wednesday.”
That debut on Wednesday seems likely to include some time running the offense for the Mavericks, something Kidd seemed just fine with when asked about it in recent days.
“Yeah, I think from Summer League to preseason he’s done a great job for the team playing at that position so I think we’re all comfortable with him doing that so we’ll see what happens on opening night,” Kid said, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
MacKenzie and Anderson clearly share Kidd’s comfort level.
And though it’s been clear to those around him for some time that the NBA was a likely destination, it’s still surreal to see Flagg arrive in such a prominent way.
“You knew he’s gonna end up in the NBA, but still, it doesn’t make it any less amazing,” Anderson said.
