Safe to say, the Dallas Mavericks made a good choice with their number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, taking Duke star Cooper Flagg, who only needed one year with the Blue Devils to show that he was ready for the professional level.
And in just two games with the Mavs in the NBA Las Vegas Summer League, Flagg has drawn praise from many analysts, including John Hollinger of The Athletic, who claimed that Flagg passed the “eye test” with flying colors with his small forward abilities, dunking, and ball handling that resembles that of a point guard.
“Forget that he made 5 of 21 in his first summer-league game; summer shooting percentages are basically worthless. Flagg passed the eye test with flying colors, roaring down the lane for giant dunks, handling the ball like a point guard despite nominally being a 6’8 power forward and showing comfort shooting pull-ups off the dribble,” Hollinger wrote in his article pinpointing 2025 Summer League standouts. “A nitpicker would have wanted to see more activity on the glass, but Flagg was unsurprisingly the best rookie in Vegas.”
It’s safe to say that the Mavs truly have found their replacement franchise player after the drama that surrounded the departure of Luka Doncic from the team, and with veterans such as Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson on the Mavericks’ depth chart as well, Flagg will have mentorship to last him as long as he stays in the Lone Star State.
