Cooper Flagg – ‘Blessing’ not having to be Mavericks’ centerpiece

DALLAS — Cooper Flagg known as it a “blessing” to be the uncommon No. 1 total choose who is not the centerpiece of a rebuilding franchise, touchdown as an alternative on a Dallas Mavericks roster loaded with veterans, together with just a few future Corridor of Famers.

“Lots of people on this place or this example aren’t granted this chance, so I simply really feel actually blessed and grateful for the scenario I have been given,” Flagg stated Friday throughout his introductory press convention on the Mavericks’ follow facility. “I am simply wanting ahead to being a sponge. Simply getting down right here, I am excited to simply study, soak all of it in and study from the fellows which are older and have been via all of it earlier than.

“These guys have a lot data. They have been via a lot, and so they have a lot expertise that it is simply going to be an unimaginable alternative for me to study and develop beneath them.”

The 18-year-old Flagg’s new teammates embrace a trio that has mixed for twenty-four All-Star appearances and 6 NBA championships in Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson.

Dallas landed within the draft lottery after ending 39-43 and getting eradicated within the Western Convention’s ultimate play-in recreation. The Mavs acquired terribly lucking, profitable the No. 1 total choose regardless of just one.8% odds. In consequence, after main Duke to a Ultimate 4 look in his lone school season, Flagg will start his NBA profession on a staff that has aspirations to contend instantly, though Irvin will seemingly miss the primary half of the season whereas recovering from a torn ACL.

“We’re in win-now mode, and so he provides to that, however he is additionally the way forward for the franchise,” Mavs common supervisor Nico Harrison stated.

The 6-foot-8, 220-pound Flagg is taken into account one of the vital versatile prospects in latest reminiscence, having led Duke in scoring (19.2 factors per recreation), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4) en path to profitable a number of nationwide participant of the yr honors. His potential to influence the sport in such all kinds of the way gives coach Jason Kidd a variety of lineup flexibility.

“Trying on the roster, we are able to play a extremely good model of positionless basketball with a variety of guys that may do a variety of various things,” Flagg stated. “So I feel that will be one of many greatest strengths. Simply attempting to play to that and simply doing no matter I can to assist the staff win.”

Kidd described Flagg as “a basketball participant” and a “winner,” in the beginning. However Kidd does have one specific place in thoughts for Flagg to begin: level guard, a minimum of for the Las Vegas Summer season League that begins on July 10 with the Mavs going through the Los Angeles Lakers within the opener.

Because the Milwaukee Bucks’ coach, Kidd took the same method with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was 19 years outdated and getting into his second season on the time. That fueled Antetokounmpo’s ascension right into a perennial All-Star and two-time MVP.

“I wish to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts [to] with the ability to run the present, with the ability to play the 2, play the three,” Kidd stated of Flagg. “He is comfy taking part in that, however we wish to push, and I feel he’ll reply in a constructive method. It is all proper to fail, it is all proper to show the ball over. We have talked about that. Simply understanding the fellows that I have been round which were younger — from Giannis, giving him the ball and he failed, however he needed to return again and have the ball.

“So I am enthusiastic about giving [Flagg] the ball towards the Lakers and see what occurs. Let’s get it began proper off the bat. However I feel simply his poise — he is going to achieve success for a very long time.”

Flagg stated he felt like creating and playmaking had been the aspects of the sport by which he progressed probably the most throughout his season at Duke, which went 35-4.

“I feel simply getting comfy with the ball in my palms,” Flagg stated. “Coach [Jon Scheyer] actually trusted me with that straight away, and I needed to undergo some errors, some trials, some tribulations and simply determine it out. However Coach Scheyer by no means went away from me, by no means stopped trusting me, and I feel that that is sort of what helped to simply actually give me comfy all year long and get actually environment friendly.”

Flagg’s arrival in Dallas has reinvigorated a Mavs fan base that was outraged and devastated by the February commerce of five-time first-team All-NBA choice Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Doncic had taken the metaphorical torch from Corridor of Famer Dirk Nowitzki because the face of the franchise. That accountability now belongs to Flagg, though it isn’t his main focus.

“I am coming in simply attempting to study and attempting to get higher each single day,” Flagg stated. “If I can try this to one of the best of my potential, I feel expectations and pressures that different individuals will placed on me and our staff, that may sort of work itself out. So I am simply attempting to return in and be one of the best that I could be and simply win on the highest stage.”