Cooper Flagg Put on LeBron James' Trajectory by Former Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd

The Dallas Mavericks have a star young player to build around, as they lucked out and were able to land Cooper Flagg first overall in last year's draft.

Flagg had a sensational first season, winning a hotly contested Rookie of the Year award while leading the Mavs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. That put him in rare air, but everyone is curious about what his career could be like.

His former coach remains as high on him as ever, as Jason Kidd said that he sees the parallels between Flagg and LeBron James.

"Well, I think he's on pace, when you talk about LeBron, and what he did as a young player," Kidd answered when asked about what level Flagg could reach. "Cooper's ability, he's one that loves to win, likes to work, is not afraid of the moment. You saw at Duke, taking a game-winning shot and missing, he's not afraid of the moment. So, I would say he's on pace, that's his comp. Now, can he stay healthy, like LeBron? And then, all greats are judged with championships... That's the one stat that will stand out. Hopefully, Cooper can achieve that."

Kidd caught a lot of criticism for playing Flagg at point guard at the beginning of the season, and the team struggled because of it. Kyrie Irving ended up missing the year, and instead of relying on a veteran like D'Angelo Russell, Kidd let Flagg grow.

While Flagg became more comfortable with the ball in his hand as the season progressed, he still shouldn't be a primary initiator moving forward. Kidd always saw Flagg as a Grant Hill-type player, and we definitely saw him used like that.

Jason Kidd was fired at the end of the season following the hiring of Masai Ujiri as team president, who decided a clean slate would be best for the organization. Former Michigan coach Dusty May has since been named the head coach.

Mar 10, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) talks to head coach Jason Kidd against the Atlanta Hawks in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Can Cooper Flagg Live Up to Lofty Expectations?

Expecting Cooper Flagg to be LeBron James is probably a mistake, as James has had arguably the greatest basketball career ever.

Flagg did just barely out-produce James' rookie season, though.

This second season will give us a big indicator of what Flagg will become.

In James' second season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he became a first-time All-Star by averaging 27.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 7.2 APG while guiding the Cavs to 42 wins, only missing the playoffs due to a tie with the New Jersey Nets for the 8th seed.

If Flagg can get the Mavericks back to 40 wins this season, which would be a 14-win improvement, he's going to put himself in some special air.

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