Apr 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) limps off the floor during the first half against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic in 2025, Dirk Nowitzki was among the loudest to speak out. As a Mavericks legend and champion, he had taken Doncic under his wing, fully believing that he was set up to take his place as the greatest player in franchise history.
After Doncic left, Dirk joined the fanbase in grief, but he has since found a new young star to guide: Cooper Flagg. It’s only been one season with Flagg in Dallas, but Dirk has seen enough to become very impressed with his development.
“He had a terrific first season. The hype that he has as the number one pick, to live through that and exceed that hype has been incredible to watch,” said Dirk in a recent chat with the media. “How he got better from week to week, from month to month, starting as a point guard at age 18 and the growth already in year 1, it just makes everybody super excited about his future. We all know he’s a workaholic; he loves hoops, that’s all he does. He wants to be better, and he wants to add things to his repertoire. So, I think he’s going to have a great second season, and the sky’s the limit for him.”
With averages of 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game on 46.8% shooting last season, Flagg proved that he has the talent to get far in this league, but his work ethic will ensure that he keeps getting better. At just 19, he still has tremendous room for growth, and Dirk says his maturity has given him a nice head start.
“Hopefully, we can watch him for the next decade-plus. Sometimes, it’s crazy that he just turned 19 last season. The way he plays, the way he handles himself, he’s so mature out there, the way he reads the game already… he’s such a great all-around player at such a young age.”
As a team, the Mavericks are not projected to be super competitive, but they aren’t focused on winning now anyway. With Flagg’s rise to stardom, the focus has shifted to building an environment conducive to his success. If nothing else, Kyrie Irving will help in that regard, as he’ll make everything come a little easier on the floor.
“We’ll see how year two goes,” Dirk added. “Kyrie coming back should be great for him to not only be on the ball, but he’s a great off-ball player with cuts and pokes; you can do all sorts of stuff playing off of Kyrie. So, it should be a fun year watching his growth.”
As the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for 2025-26, Flagg is one of the best young players in the game, and Dirk understands this better than anyone. While he hasn’t always supported the Mavericks’ decisions lately, Flagg’s arrival is one move he clearly stands behind.
So, while the Mavericks still have a lot of work ahead, it seems like their situation is finally improving after the disastrous Luka Doncic trade, and it’s all thanks to Cooper Flagg, who arrived at the team’s darkest hour.