Cooper Flagg produced a standout performance during the Dallas Mavericks’ preseason trip to Macao, China, scoring 33 points with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks across two games against the Houston Rockets. He played just 45 minutes combined. The 19-year-old rookie, who won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award last season, is already showing the poise of a player far beyond his years.
Some veterans on the team have kept up a running joke that Flagg is still a trainee who should handle menial duties like carrying bags. The 2025 No. 1 pick technically remains a rookie until he plays his first game of his second season. “I can sometimes sneak by without them remembering that they want me to be a rookie still. But yeah, they definitely try,” Flagg said.
The teasing hardly fits the player on the court. Flagg hunted his shot, set up his teammates and commanded the floor with confidence. His voice carried through The Venetian Macao, and he stayed vocally involved, which signals how quickly he is shifting from focusing on his own game to elevating everyone else’s.
“I’m just finding my voice,” Flagg said. “Being so young and a little bit inexperienced is tough sometimes, but I think up to this point, I’ve earned the respect of my teammates, and I’ve gotten that sense that they really respect me and my opinion.”
Flagg has been on the basketball world’s radar since he was 16, starred at Duke and then claimed the NBA’s top rookie honor. His rapid growth could be underrated at the moment, partly because the Mavericks, stuck in a deep Western Conference, are not drawing much attention. Still, Flagg’s development seems increasingly inevitable.
The NBA has plenty of other storylines. LeBron James is in Philadelphia, Giannis Antetokounmpo is in Miami, and Victor Wembanyama has earned the unofficial title of “future face of the league.” The New York Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, ended a 52-year title drought and captured attention in a major market. Yet during the NBA’s China Games in Macao, Flagg was the headliner. His image covered buildings, and he was the focus of a major shoe event. Inside one of Macao’s high-end malls, he unveiled his personal New Balance logo, which combines his initials with the silhouette of a pine tree, a nod to his home state of Maine.
The trip centered as much on the business of basketball as on the games. NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended meetings with Chinese partners. Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont, who serves as CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., hosted the week. His company operates five resorts in the area with a combined 10,000 hotel rooms, along with the Venetian Arena.
Even so, Flagg’s progress on the court stood out. He turns 20 on Dec. 21, and his polished jumper, improved footwork and clear leadership make his maturity hard to believe. “He’s going to lead this franchise into the future. You can definitely bank on that,” teammate Kyrie Irving said. “He deserves a lot of the praise he’s gotten because he’s carried a lot. … He’s wise beyond his years.”
During a 30-second stretch on Friday, Flagg showed his range of skills. He slipped past the Rockets’ defense with a sideways jump stop and drilled a midrange jumper. He then blocked a shot by Amen Thompson, grabbed the rebound and led a fast break that ended with a lob dunk. A few possessions later, Thompson went under a screen while defending Flagg, who responded with a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
“He’s such a versatile player, someone that literally can score three levels,” Mavericks first-year coach Dusty May said. “He can make defensive plays on and off the ball.”
Flagg’s rookie season already set a high bar. He became the first rookie to lead his team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals since Michael Jordan in 1984-85. He also became the fourth rookie since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976-77 to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, joining Luka Doncic, Larry Bird and Jordan. He became the first teenager with four 40-point games, the first teenager with consecutive 40-point games and the first teenager with a 50-point game. Per GeniusIQ tracking, he ranked sixth in the league on baskets off drives and fifth among all frontcourt players in bringing the ball up.
Preparation and Work Ethic
Flagg carried the load of a mid-career All-Star even though his team won just 26 games. “I felt at points last year I was going in blind a little bit,” Flagg said. “Obviously, I hadn’t been through a lot of those experiences before. So, I think just having that this year is a big help. Just feeling prepared, feeling ready. There’s a lot less to worry about.”
Flagg shot 29.5% from 3-point range last season, a weakness he has worked to address. He put in heavy work over the summer, much of it alongside Irving, who is returning after missing 19 months with a torn left ACL. Teammates and team staff often praise Flagg’s work ethic and competitive nature.
“Your talent only gets you so far; being remembered for your work ethic and how you treated people and also that championship mindset you came in with every day, that’s what people hold on to,” Irving said.
“For me as a peer, but also as a brother, I look at him as someone that has a world of potential, but also still needs a lot of guidance just like we all do in basketball, a lot of teaching, a lot of knowledge being passed.”
Dallas Looks Ahead
Much of Flagg’s development will unfold in front of a national audience. The Mavericks have 21 scheduled national television games this season, though not because they are expected to contend. Irving’s return should help, but Dallas is still climbing out of a hole created by the Luka Doncic trade and the struggles of Anthony Davis’ tenure. The franchise has a new coach and a new front office, led by president Masai Ujiri.
Ujiri has made clear that the franchise is committed to keeping Irving alongside Flagg, who is 15 years younger than the veteran point guard. Rival front offices question whether Dallas can stick to that plan while roster holes remain elsewhere and the two stars are on different career timelines.
Those questions form the backdrop, but Flagg is now center stage, and he looks ready. His teammates feel it as they watch him work every day.
“This is a big responsibility to help him in his evolution to being one of the best,” May said. “A great player’s success is determined by everyone around them. So all of us [being] better teammates, better players, better coaches will contribute to him maximizing his potential.”