Mavericks Stars Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving Eager To Finally Share The Court

The Dallas Mavericks made some additions to the roster this offseason, but the biggest reinforcement will be the return of star point guard Kyrie Irving.

Irving spent the entirety of last year rehabbing from an ACL injury, and he's expected to be ready to play on opening night.

That means it might not be too long until Irving and Cooper Flagg make their long-awaited debut on the floor together.

This is an opportunity the two faces of the Dallas Mavericks aren't taking lightly. They formed a bond during Flagg's rookie season, and that chemistry is just continuing to grow ahead of 2026-27.

Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving Excited To Play Together

Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irvin — Oct 6, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (left) and guard Kyrie Irving (right) look on during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickie's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even while Irving was working his way back to full strength last season, he was still consistently around the team, according to Flagg's trainer, Matt McKenzie, during a recent appearance with Jimmy C Hoops.

"Kai is a great vet for Coop," McKenzie said. "Obviously, he wasn't playing last season, but he was present on a pretty consistent basis. He would work out for a few hours before every game. He would spend some time in the locker room, some time in the practice facility."

Being a veteran in the league and a former No. 1 overall pick himself, Irving was able to provide Flagg with some advice.

"It was more just conversation-based, with him being able to impart some wisdom to Cooper and just share his experiences," McKenzie said. "Obviously, he went through being a No. 1 pick and playing on a team his first year that maybe didn't have the success he wanted to."

"So there were a lot of different experiences that he was able to share and just different pieces of advice," McKenzie added. "Kai was able to practice towards the end of the season, and so they had a chance to spend some time on the floor together."

Irving hasn't always been a willing leader, but he's learned from past experiences. To his credit, Irving has maximized his time with Flagg so far, building a relationship and staying in his ear.

"Throughout the summer, just checking in on Coop with a text or a phone call- those types of things, they go a long way. So Kai, I have nothing but great things to say about him as a leader, as somebody who has been able to mentor Cooper," McKenzie said.

The pair is eager to finally play together and show the league what they can bring to the table.

Apr 29, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Maverick Cooper Flagg holds the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year trophy during a press conference at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I know that Cooper is really looking forward to playing with Kyrie, and from everything I hear and being around Kyrie, it sounds like he's really looking forward to playing with Cooper," McKenzie said. "I think that they'll complement each other nicely. I think that the fan base, the coaching staff, everybody's really excited to see what that's going to look like."

Irving's return to the floor will take some of the pressure off Flagg, and vice versa.

The duo should be able to complement each other and elevate one another's strengths.

"I think that it will absolutely alleviate some pressure. Having a high-IQ point guard, floor general like Kyrie on the floor with Cooper, I think it can only help him," McKenzie said. "I think it will give him better opportunities to score against one opponent versus two. I think he'll be able to play off the ball a little more, I think you'll be able to see him finish some actions versus initiating actions."

"Obviously, having Kai out there to share some of those duties will be great. Likewise, Cooper will help Kyrie be able to get to his spots and open up his game a lot as well, just because of the gravity Cooper has," McKenzie added. "Both those guys, they require a lot of attention from opposing teams, so hand-in-hand they'll be able to help each other out a lot."

Pairing Irving with Flagg will give the Mavericks the best chance to surprise the NBA in head coach Dusty May's first season on the job.

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