When the Dallas Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg first overall, Jason Kidd knew immediately that he'd be rolling him out at point guard, seeing that he could be a Grant Hill kind of player. Kidd caught a lot of criticism for it, especially after the Mavs stumbled out of the gate, and Flagg was struggling with the adjustment.
After a few games, Coach Kidd made the change and put Flagg back on the wing, where he looked a lot more comfortable, but with injuries and the season clearly going nowhere, Flagg has played a lot more point guard since the turn of the new year. And while the team hasn't been playing well, Flagg has played a lot better in that role. He spoke about it and what he was able to learn with ESPN's Malika Andrews.
“I just learned a ton about the game. You know, I’d never been in a situation like that to be handling the ball, bringing it up every single time," Flagg said. "And I learned how tiring it can be. And I gained a lot of respect for point guards because those first couple games are probably the most tired I’ve ever been on a basketball court.”
Cooper Flagg on playing point guard to start his rookie season:
“I just learned a ton about the game. You know, I’d never been in a situation like that to be handling the ball, bringing it up every single time. And I learned how tiring it can be. And I gained a lot of respect… pic.twitter.com/2miopBcW5F
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 16, 2026
Flagg has had the chance to learn from one of the game's greatest point guards ever in Jason Kidd, who did a similar thing with Giannis Antetokounmpo when he was the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. That helped Antetokounmpo develop into a 2-time MVP, but he wouldn't win those until after Kidd was fired.
There will be a lot of pressure on Coach Kidd and the Mavs next season. These last two seasons can be attributed to injuries and bad decisions from Nico Harrison, but Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II will hopefully be back healthy next year, they'll add another lottery pick, and Flagg will have had a year of experience under his belt. If they can't make the playoffs, then some questions will come up about Kidd's future as the head coach.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dribbles against New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi
Mar 16, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dribbles against New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Cooper Flagg Shouldn't Play as Much Point Guard Next Year
With Kyrie Irving likely to come back next season, and the Mavs projected to pick a guard in the draft, Flagg should be back on the wing next season, which is where he's more comfortable.
Having the ball in his hands should pay dividends next year, though. Having multiple people who can be threats off the dribble can be huge for an offense, but Flagg also needs to improve his three-point shooting. It was his biggest weakness entering the NBA, and while he looked to be improving in the middle of the season, he still hasn't improved as much as they want.
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