Cooper Flagg is having a less-than-ideal start to his NBA career. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, there were big expectations coming into the season for Cooper. He hasn’t lived up to those through the first 10 games, but that’s not entirely his fault.
The Dallas Mavericks have asked Flagg to play as a point guard to start the year. With Kyrie Irving injured and the team stacked in the frontcourt, the young star has had to play in an unfamiliar role. And this is a concern, as per Draymond Green, who warned the Mavs about the consequences of such a move.
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“It’s hard to play in this league when you don’t have a point guard,” Green said on The Draymond Green Show. “They’re trying Cooper at point guard, which I understand. You’re allowing him to play with the ball in his hands. He won’t ultimately be a point guard, but you may believe that that can help his development.”
Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons brings the ball up court against the Brooklyn Nets. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
“You just got to be careful. It’s not his real position. If Ben Simmons were allowed to be a power forward that can handle the ball the way he handled the ball, does his career turn out differently than making him a point guard?
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“The last thing you want is him to lose his confidence trying to play point guard because once you lose your confidence in this league, it’s nearly impossible to get it back.”
Simmons is a cautionary tale for a young superstar who lost his confidence. And he was even more suited to playing as a guard than Flagg is. While the 18-year-old doesn’t look like he’s suffer fro confidence issues, Dallas would do well to heed the Golden State Warriors star’s warning.
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