Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was impressed with incoming rookie Cooper Flagg after meeting him on Saturday.
“The hype is real, for sure,” Nowitzki said regarding Flagg, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “I’m not the biggest college sports watcher in general, whether that’s basketball or any sport, but of course I checked out Cooper. Sky is the limit, honestly.
“What I saw, just the way he reads the game already at that age. (He’s) barely 18, athletic, (has) skills. I heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything I saw and heard is he’s the real deal.”
Expectations are high for Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
He’s coming off an impressive freshman season at Duke, showcasing his all-around impact. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game on 48.1/38.5/84.0 shooting splits.
The 18-year-old also showed promise during his two appearances at the Las Vegas Summer League. While Flagg dropped a mere 10 points on 5-of-21 shooting in his debut, he responded with a 31-point performance in his second game.
It’s an encouraging sign that he’s already made a strong impression on Nowitzki, as the 14-time All-Star spent his entire Hall of Fame career with the Mavericks and sits at No. 1 on the organization’s all-time scoring list.
