After the 2025 NBA Draft and an exciting stint at the 2025 NBA Summer League, the community is excited to see first overall pick Cooper Flagg play in the NBA. He will be playing for the Dallas Mavericks, and head coach Jason Kidd is already preparing him for a big role.
That is huge for such a young player, as he will be thrust into the spotlight. However, it won’t be too much pressure on him, as he will be playing alongside stars like Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving when he returns from his torn ACL.
Flagg comes into the league with high expectations. He has been hailed as the best prospect from the Draft since 2023, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus choice. Flagg was also the consensus top pick in the class of 2025, so he has to meet some lofty expectations.
Thankfully for Mavericks fans, Flagg is eager to prove himself at the highest level. That is a good sign because he is not hiding from the responsibilities he will be given by the time the 2025-26 season starts.
Flagg Is Committed To Contributing For The Mavericks
After the debacle of the blockbuster trade from the 2024-25 season, the 2025-26 campaign will be the Mavericks’ first full campaign with Anthony. Davis is their star player. He will be the primary option on the offensive end, and on defense, he will be the anchor.
Thankfully, Flagg is good enough to be a top-tier defender on day one. That is a great development for the franchise, as they are focused on being the premium defense to beat their opponents.
Flagg is already getting prepared for how he will fit into the system. He has been playing NBA 2K26 to get a good look at how he can thrive within Kidd’s system.
“I’ve been talking to Cooper Flagg a lot the last couple of weeks, and he’s already trying to shape up how he’s going to fit into that team by playing the NBA2K26 game with him, integrated with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis,” NBA 2K’s Digital Marketing Director Ronnie “Ronnie 2K” Singh said in an interview with Heavy’s Alder Amo.
“He might not get to play with Kyrie for a minute, so it’s kind of cool that he gets to simulate that, see how the off-the-ball movement is.”
Flagg Will Be A Great Long-Term Fit For The Mavericks
As the star player for the long-term future in Dallas, Flagg has heavy responsibilities. Despite the pressure, it looks like he is prepared to fight and prove why he is the consensus top star from his draft class.
He has impressive mentors to guide him throughout his NBA career, specifically Davis, Thompson, and Irving. Even coach Kidd is a great mentor to him, as he was also a star player in the NBA.
With this kind of guidance, combined with his natural gifts, Flagg should be a great NBA player. It will probably take some time, but he is being set up for a bright future with the Mavericks.
