Mavericks' Cooper Flagg proved everything he needed to in NBA preseason

Cooper Flagg was named a big winner of the preseason.

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) brings the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets in the second half of a game at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The NBA regular season starts this week, with the Dallas Mavericks taking on the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. The Mavs only played four games in the preseason, which gave us a great look at first overall pick Cooper Flagg.

Jason Kidd used him in a variety of ways, even starting him at point guard in the final two games. Despite everything thrown at him, Flagg passed the preseason with flying colors.

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey ranked the preseason's winners and losers, woth Cooper Flagg being among the biggest winner.

"Cooper Flagg's basic production (11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks) from this preseason doesn't leap off the screen, but several individual plays certainly have," Bailey wrote.

"From pull-up threes to explosive rim protection to solid playmaking and passing, Flagg has shown that he can be a utility player capable of filling up any of the major statistical categories.

"He may not collect as many 30-point games as LeBron James did as a rookie. His highlights may not draw as many eyeballs as Victor Wembanyama's did in his first year. But it looks like Flagg will steadily collect a bunch of workmanlike lines around 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, a block and a steal.

"And on a team with as much veteran talent as the Dallas Mavericks, that will still be enough to land Flagg Rookie of the Year honors and get analysts thinking about an Andrei Kirilenko-like ceiling."

Oct 15, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) shoots the ball during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

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What is the Next Step in Cooper Flagg's Game?

For an 18-year-old to step in and play out of position as a point guard and look comfortable is wildly impressive, but there are still some things he could continue to work on.

The biggest is his three-point shot. Defenses were happy to go under screens on nearly every Maverick during the preseason, and no one could really make the defenses pay. Dallas shot just 30.8% from deep in the preseason, one of the worst marks in the league, and Cooper Flagg was just 4/13 from deep. He showcased the potential for it, but it's going to take time to develop.

Luckily for Flagg, he has Klay Thompson as his vet, and Thompson has gone through great lengths to take the first overall pick under his wing, even saying helping Flagg develop is more important than any scoring output he's going to have. If Flagg can become even a league average shooter on enough volume, that's going to help the entire offense, not just Flagg.

READ MORE: Mavericks were best defense in the NBA in preseason, but it may be fool's gold

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