Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Earns Rave Reviews From NBA Executives

People were wondering how Cooper Flagg's game would translate to the NBA. Even though he was the first overall pick, people didn't know if he'd be ready at 18 years old and have the physicality for it.

Flagg has blown away those expectations, though. He's won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month every month that it's been offered so far, and is averaging an impressive 18.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 4.1 APG while being a great defender. Really, the only weakness in his game has been his three-point shooting, which has been hit or miss at times.

The hot start to his career has impressed many people, including executives and scouts around the NBA. ESPN's Tim MacMahon grabbed a handful of them, and here are some standouts from his piece.

"His greatest strength is his competitiveness," a Western Conference General Manager told MacMahon. "He's a motherf---er."

"When he doesn't play well, I still really like watching him play because of the way he plays," Nuggets coach David Adelman said. "The intensity, I think that takes you a long way because you're going to go through ups and downs when you're young. He's really impressive."

"It's very rare that you get a guy that is that skilled and he plays the hardest of anybody on both sides of the floor," an Eastern Conference scout said. "That's a winning player."

"I actually thought his offense would take longer than it has," a West general manager said. "All these guys being out has given him freedom to explore and expand his game. He's so big, and he's realized he can just get to his spots. I've always thought he'd be that 1B [offensive option], but he's an alpha for your team. He plugs every gap."

Jan 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) reacts against the New York Knicks during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg Impressing, But May Not Win Rookie of the Year

Cooper Flagg has been having an outstanding rookie year, but one of his college teammates may actually jump him for Rookie of the Year, and Kon Knueppel with the Charlotte Hornets has had an outstanding season, especially shooting the ball. He's averaging 19.1 PPG while shooting a lethal 42.8% from three.

In the NBA's latest Rookie Ladder, Steve Aschburner had Kon Knueppel in the top spot ahead of Flagg. The two former Duke stars have been thriving in the NBA, and they're in a tight race for Rookie of the Year.

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