The Dallas Mavericks inexplicably traded away Luka Doncic more than a year and a half ago, but completely lucked out when they won the 2025 lottery and selected Cooper Flagg. Going from one franchise savior to another in a matter of months was a huge shock.
Last year, Flagg showed off his superstar upside and gave Mavs fans hope for the future. Even with all the injuries on the team, he was one of the more impactful rising stars in the game. It was a dose of happiness for a fanbase that spent most of last season mourning the Doncic trade.
Now in the early part of year 2, Flagg has truly ascended as a player. Dallas looks to be better than projected and if Flagg can keep this up, it may lead to an earlier than expected outcome.
Cooper Flagg could make an All-NBA team this year and the Mavs could surprise people.
Flagg has looked dominant on both ends of the floor. He is coming off a great performance against the Miami Heat, where he scored 29 points, dished out 11 assists, and had five steals. He took over the game on both ends of the floor and outplayed Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Flagg is also making his teammates better. The presence of Kyrie Irving does help with that as well, but Flagg is taking command of the game in ways that are rare for a second year player. And that is a great development for Mavs.
Speaking of Irving, you can really see the influence he has had on Flagg early on in his career when it comes to the acrobatic finishes at the rim and the improved ball handling. He seems to have been a great mentor for the young forward.
The Mavs also are doing a good job of surrounding him with size and versatility. P.J. Washington, Morez Johnson, and Daniel Gafford have really fit in well next to Flagg and have elevated the ceiling of this team.
Coming into the year, Flagg was one of the more obvious picks to be named an All-Star. However, it may be time to think bigger. Yes, it is still early on in the year. Yes, it remains to be seen if Dallas can keep up this level of play. But the way Flagg is playing has All-NBA written all over it.
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