ESPN Just Confirmed What Mavericks Fans Already Knew About Cooper Flagg

It's without a doubt that the future is bright in Dallas with Cooper Flagg.

Apr 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) speaks to the crowd before the game against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

We are just a few days away from the start of the 2026 NBA Draft, which is one of the most talented drafts in recent memory. With top talents like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer, it has the star power at the top while also having plenty of depth down the board.

It wasn't that long ago that Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg was supposed to be in this upcoming draft class. He reclassified to get to Duke a year early in 2024, putting him on the pathway to go first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The 2025 class has turned out to be a good one, too. Dylan Harper was tremendous during the San Antonio Spurs' run to the NBA Finals this season, Kon Knueppel led the NBA in three-pointers made, and VJ Edgecombe was a starter on a 76ers team that made the playoffs. Flagg was the Rookie of the Year over all of them.

Even with all of that talent, the 2026 draft projects to be a lot deeper. If Flagg had stayed in the 2026 draft class, would he still be as heralded as he is now?

Apr 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg Would Still Be Best Player Even in 2026 Draft

ESPN's Jeremy Woo ranked players as prospects for the 2025 and 2026 draft classes, seeing how the top talent stacks against each other. To no surprise, Cooper Flagg was still at the top of the board.

"While Flagg's offensive game wasn't always aesthetically pleasing, the results were often there, particularly in the win column," Woo wrote. "And while his growth areas remain the same -- he shot just 29.5% from 3-point range as a rookie in Dallas this season -- it certainly wasn't a given that he'd walk into the NBA as a 20 PPG scorer. Truly elite prospects tend to smash expectations at every stop, particularly during these key growth years and level adjustments, and the case with Flagg has always been the same -- he may just be a little bit different than everyone else."

Flagg is a little different than everyone else, especially knowing what we know now. He was the second rookie in the last 50 years to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, joining Michael Jordan. Even if we didn't have the knowledge of his rookie season, his two-way strengths and his ability to put the ball on the floor as a wing are rare.

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