Cooper Flag is marketed as a participant of the Dallas Mavericks technology, however to turn out to be an MVP you will want to hone sure features of the sport.
Cooper Flag was simply one of the best participant within the 2025 NBA Draft, and it’s extremely doubtless that the Dallas Mavericks have made their option to construct a technology.
With out the hype surrounding Victor Wenbanyama two years in the past, Flag would turn out to be essentially the most extremely promoted rookie in current reminiscence, overtaking Zion Williamson and his new teammate, Anthony Davis.
Nonetheless, Flagg is just 18 years outdated and nonetheless has a protracted option to go earlier than he reaches peak. He’s anticipated to be a Mavericks winner, however he ought to study quite a bit earlier than solidifying himself as one of many league’s nice gamers.
In his solely season with Duke, Flagg will introduce his expertise as an elite two-way participant, scoring at their finest and locking down a number of positions.
After all, his 18-year-old’s sport is way from good. He can rating from wherever at first look, however Jason Kidd revealed that he hopes Flag will promote the assault together with Dangelo Russell.
In school, Flag recorded two assists per turnover. In the summertime league, that quantity fell to 1.7 assists per gross sales.
Merely put, that is not sufficient for him to turn out to be a secondary facilitator.
“It is usually price noting that NBA Summer time League sources identified some minor flaws in Flag’s sport, which factors out that they should iron over the primary few years of the league and rise to the extent they anticipate to achieve,” defined ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“Then some elements that transcend his management are available in, together with the success of all the workforce, the media story, and the way Flag’s NBA friends carry out.”
Flagg’s passing and ball dealing with each have a strong basis, however he has not but performed any actual sport in opposition to official NBA expertise. The training curve and progress ache is predicted. Nonetheless, the bar is extremely costly.
LeBron James entered the NBA at 18 and was a star instantly. Flag is predicted to be at roughly the identical stage, and is an American celebrity that the NBA has missed in recent times.
“The Flag has the background as essentially the most promising US No. 1 choose for the reason that all-around sport that pulls 24-hour attentional consideration from LeBron James and MVP voters,” Wright added.
By passing earlier first picks like Davis and Williamson, Flag goes to the identical stage as James, however expectations are barely decrease. James has 4 MVP trophies in his title, and Wright’s ESPN colleagues do not suppose Flag will get there.
In keeping with the panel, 34.6% of writers consider Flag is not going to win an MVP. 46.2% consider that one particular person and 15.4% will win with two individuals, whereas 3.8% consider that they’ll both tie James with 4 or extra individuals.
Based mostly on the eye Flag bought earlier than drafting, something apart from the MVP season at the least as soon as throughout his profession is taken into account a failure, however he has some powerful competitors.
