Warriors' 4-time NBA champion gives Cooper Flagg ultimate nod of approval after fiery stretch

Entering the 2025–26 NBA season, it was clear the Dallas Mavericks planned to use Cooper Flagg in a variety of roles. One of those roles was at point guard, an ambitious and challenging assignment for a rookie. At the time, it appeared the Mavericks were placing too much responsibility on the first-year player.

“The Dallas Mavericks are asking too much from Cooper Flagg. Fans should temper expectations for his rookie season. Flagg is a generational prospect and will be a standout for years to come, but year one will feature struggles as he adjusts to the NBA and being a primary creator. The Mavs have nobody to blame but themselves,” The Smoking Cuban’s Tyler Watts wrote.

Flagg got off to a slow start, but recently he has begun to live up to expectations.

“On Tuesday, Flagg put on a show. The Mavericks rookie notched 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a 131-130 win. Flagg made the first seven shots he attempted en route to his third 30-point game of the season. He finished with nine makes inside the paint, which is nothing out of the ordinary for the attacking-minded forward,” The Athletic’s Christian Clark wrote.

The rookie is beginning to come into his own and is now making real noise in the Rookie of the Year conversation. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has even taken notice, offering praise and making it clear the Mavericks landed a special talent despite the early struggles.

“One thing I can appreciate about him is that he does it on both ends of the floor. ... Dallas got a bright future with Cooper Flagg,” Draymond said.

The Mavericks are set to face the Warriors on Christmas Day, which will mark Flagg’s first Christmas game. Green’s comments reflect a growing recognition that Flagg is becoming the player many expected him to be.

As the Mavericks continue to develop together, they are starting to look increasingly dangerous. While their record may not fully reflect it, Dallas remains one of the toughest teams to face, and Flagg appears poised to build on what has already been an impressive stretch of games.