MACAO, China — Cooper Flagg scored 33 points with 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks in two preseason games in Macao, playing just 45 minutes combined against the Houston Rockets. The performance showed how quickly the Dallas Mavericks’ 2025 No. 1 pick is moving past the rookie label, even as some veterans keep teasing him about it.
Several Mavericks veterans have kept up the joke that Flagg still wears a “trainee” name tag and must handle menial duties until he plays the first game of his second season. During the team’s week in China, that meant carrying bags and similar chores for the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year.
“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 joke collapses under the box score. Flagg hunted his shot, and he looked to set up teammates with the kind of confidence that makes the rookie tag seem outdated. His growth goes beyond the numbers, too. His voice carried through The Venetian Macao arena, and he stayed vocally involved in the action. He is shifting his focus from his own game to the whole team, and he is doing it quickly.
“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 won the NBA’s top rookie honor. His maturation may be underrated right now. The Mavericks, stuck in a deep Western Conference, are not drawing much attention of their own.
A Star in the Spotlight
The NBA has plenty of storylines. LeBron James is in Philadelphia. Giannis Antetokounmpo is in Miami. Victor Wembanyama has claimed the unofficial “future face of the league” label and wants revenge after Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks ended their 52-year title drought.
During the NBA’s China Games, though, Flagg was the headliner. His image covered buildings across Macao, and he anchored a major shoe event. Inside one of the city’s high-end, marble-lined 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 also centered on business. NBA commissioner Adam Silver attended meetings with Chinese partners. Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont hosted the week as CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., which operates five resorts in the area with a combined 10,000 hotel rooms, including the Venetian Arena.
Even with the off-court focus, Flagg’s development on the floor stood out. He is only 19 and will not turn 20 until Dec. 21. Given his polished jumper, improved footwork and clear leadership, his maturity feels far beyond his years.
“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.”
Flagg Shows His Range
On Friday, Flagg made a series of plays within a 30-second span. He beat the Rockets defense with a slick sideways jump stop to drill a midrange jumper. He blocked Amen Thompson’s shot, 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 by hitting 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 brought the ball up fifth most among all frontcourt players.
In short, Flagg carried the load of a mid-career All-Star, not that of a rookie on a team that won 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.”
Work Ethic and Guidance
Flagg shot 29.5% from 3-point range last season, a weakness he is working to fix. 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. People around the team 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.”
Much of that development will happen under the national spotlight. 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 Doncic trade and the failure 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 Mavericks are committed to keeping Irving with Flagg, who is 15 years younger than the veteran point guard. Rival front offices question whether Dallas can stick to that plan with holes elsewhere on the roster and two stars on different career timelines.
That backdrop is real. But Flagg is now on center stage, and he gives every sign that he is ready. The rest of the Mavericks 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.”