Cooper Flagg's Trainer Slows Down Comparing Mavericks Star to LeBron James

Cooper Flagg had a sensational rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks, exceeding even the highest expectations people had for the first overall pick out of Duke.

A teenager having this much success early in his career is naturally going to have people compare him to LeBron James, and that's what his former coach, Jason Kidd, said in an interview in the Philippines a few weeks ago.

"Well, I think he's on pace, when you talk about LeBron, and what he did as a young player," Kidd said. "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."

That's a very high and lofty comparison. LeBron James has had arguably the greatest basketball career ever, so comparing anyone to that can end badly.

For that reason, Flagg's trainer, Matt MacKenzie, is pumping the brakes on the comparison a little bit, even if he thinks Flagg could reach that level at some point.

"Cooper has a long way to go in terms of building the resume that LeBron has throughout his long career. But he definitely has a lot of those tools to be one of the greats," MacKenzie said to RG.org.

"He just needs to continue to keep working. He needs to continue to stay hungry every single day to improve his craft. I think with the way he plays and his approach to the game of basketball, that checks all of the boxes to be one of the greats eventually. But obviously, he's only one year into his career now. He's got a long way to go."

Apr 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) controls the ball as Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cooper Flagg's Historical Start

Cooper Flagg had one of the greatest rookie seasons of all time, joining Michael Jordan as the only rookie to lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in the last 50+ years.

He had 50-point outbursts, triple-doubles, and wasn't afraid to take shots in clutch moments. Those all point to a future superstar.

Will he become the NBA's all-time leading scorer or make 10 NBA Finals like LeBron James did? Probably not.

However, he has the talent and the work ethic to become an all-time great. Everyone is looking forward to seeing what progress Flagg has made, with the start of his second season just about a month away.

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