Is ESPN's Top 100 Ranking for Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Too Low, Too High, or Just Right?

The 2026-27 NBA season is less than a month away, and Dallas Mavericks fans have been eagerly awaiting seeing Cooper Flagg back on the court.

He'll have Kyrie Irving back on the court to help him this time, but after a tremendous rookie campaign, everyone is waiting to see what the former first overall pack has in store for his second season.

Flagg averaged 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.5 APG, leading the Mavericks in each statistic. Irving's return will make that tricky to follow, but Flagg is talented enough, and if he makes a second-year jump with his three-point shooting, we could be looking at an All-Star already.

That is backed up by how optimistic ESPN is about Flagg's jump this season.

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ESPN Ranks Cooper Flagg as the 23rd-Best Player Entering 2026-27 Season

ESPN has been releasing its list of the top 100 players of the 2026-27 season, which is really a prediction more than anything.

They ranked Cooper Flagg at 23, directly ahead of Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Evan Mobley, and Deni Avdija.

Flagg was directly behind Jalen Johnson, Jamal Murray, and Devin Booker.

That is great company for Flagg to be surrounded by, as those players have all been All-Stars recently.

"Flagg's rookie season began with a whimper, as he struggled to adjust to the NBA while being thrust into the unfamiliar position of point guard. But it ended with a bang at his rightful position of small forward, as a torrid late-season burst -- including back-to-back games with 51 and 45 points in April -- propelled him to his expected Rookie of the Year honor," ESPN's Zach Kram wrote.

"The former No. 1 pick doesn't even celebrate his 20th birthday until December, yet he's already one of the best two-way wings in the league, with a strong defensive foundation and a budding offensive skill set. Flagg must improve his jump shot (29.5% on 3s last year), but that might be the only real obstacle standing in the way of an All-Star berth."

Kyrie Irving checked in 39th, and Anthony Davis was 40th.

This is pretty high praise for Flagg, as there have never been more stars in the NBA than there are now. To think Flagg could make that kind of jump already, and to have him ahead of some already established stars, could make the Mavs a surprise contender.

Flagg is still only 19 years old, and there are a lot of ways he can expand his game, but we saw him continuously progress throughout his rookie season. There's no reason to think he can't become a top-20 player by season's end.

Add us as a preferred source on Google