Cooper Flagg shares true feelings on $45,487,014 former teammate after first battle in NBA: "No. 4 pick is a big deal"

Saturday’s matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Charlotte Hornets was of much significance for Cooper Flagg. The forward faced off against his close friend and former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in a highly anticipated duel between two lottery picks that lived up to the hype.

After the October 11 game, Flagg spoke about what it meant to share the court with Knueppel in this early stage of their NBA careers.

“It's my roommate,” Flagg told reporters during the postgame press conference. “So it's pretty cool just to see somebody, I mean, No. 4 pick is a big deal. So I mean, just being happy for him, that's somebody that's gonna be a friend of mine for life and so I'm just happy for him. I think he's in a great situation and a great spot. And I'm just so happy for everyone for the opportunity that he has.”

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Flagg made a strong impression, contributing 11 points, three rebounds, four assists and three steals. Knueppel, who is signed on a four-year, $45,487,014 rookie deal, was just as impactful, finishing with 12 points, four rebounds and an assist. Coming off the bench, he helped the Hornets secure a 120–116 win at the American Airlines Center.

Both Flagg and Knueppel were one-and-done players at Duke during the 2024–2025 season. As starters, they played key roles in leading the Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament championship and a Final Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Cooper Flagg averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while Knueppel added 14.4 points and 4.0 rebounds, forming one of college basketball’s most dynamic duos.

Jason Kidd reveals Cooper Flagg’s secondary role

Cooper Flagg, who is primarily a forward, has been taking on a new challenge as the Mavericks’ primary point guard during parts of their first two preseason games. During those minutes, he has been responsible for leading the offense and creating plays for his teammates.

So far, he has looked comfortable as the playmaker. He notched four assists in the October 6 game against the Thunder and three on October 11 against the Hornets, showing good vision and control on the court.

Head coach Jason Kidd said Flagg has handled the new responsibilities well but still has room to grow.

“We want to look at him handling the ball,” Kidd said. “Want to put him in different situations. I thought he made a lot of great reads tonight. There’s gonna be some turnovers. I think the only time he turned it over is when he went behind his back.”

Cooper Flagg is set to continue his preseason run when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Utah Jazz on October 13 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Edited by Advait Jajodia