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Dallas Mavericks
Los Angeles Lakers
Aug 3, 2025 2:25 PM EDT
Six years after Dirk Nowitzki played his last game for the Dallas Mavericks and five months after Luka Doncic was traded, the franchise landed another transformational player in Cooper Flagg.
Flagg is yet to play a single game in the NBA, although, like prospects Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson, the expectation is that he will be a top-50 player right away.
Flagg was the youngest player in the draft, and while many see that as an upside (the Mavs will have as long as possible to build around him), Shaquille O’Neal thinks it creates unfair pressure on the star.
“You must realize he’s an 18-year-old kid, so you can’t put too much pressure on him,” O’Neal told RG Media. “From my experience, you get two years before people really start saying it’s time to win. But I think he’s way above that 18-year-old curve.”
The Mavericks already have more than enough win-now, veteran talent to help Flagg acclimate, although O’Neal thinks the fans, who showed nothing but loyalty to the Mavs of the past, are the best thing about the team.
“Good thing about this organization, Mavericks, they’re going to treat him well,” he added. “This fan base is definitely going to treat him well through the ups and downs. We celebrate Dirk Nowitzki, but I remember Dirk when he first came in; he was not Dirk. He turned into Dirk. But the Dallas fans have always been great. So, Cooper Flagg is playing for a great organization, great town, great fan base. He’ll be absolutely fine.”
O’Neal entered the league with similar expectations to Flagg and thrived; hopefully, for the Mavericks’ sake, his impact can be similar in year one.
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Jonah Kubicek