Dirk Nowitzki on Cooper Flagg:

“The hype is real, for sure…The sky’s the limit honestly…Just the way he reads the game already at that age…Athletic, skills, I’ve heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything that I’ve saw and heard is that he’s the real deal…Just the… pic.twitter.com/7CUTFn2FMY

— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) September 13, 2025

No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg is nearing his long-awaited debut, and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki is among those eager to watch him take the court with the Dallas Mavericks.

Flagg is viewed as a generational prospect and enters the 2025-26 season with tremendous hype as the front-runner to win Rookie of the Year. He is projected to play a key role as a player who can help the Mavericks win now, thanks to his overall skill set.

The 18-year-old was in attendance Saturday at the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation 7th Annual Tennis Classic, helping raise money for children’s health and education. Nowitzki has been impressed with Flagg and believes he can help now, via Noah Weber of the Smoking Cuban.

The hype is real, for sure. I’m not the biggest college sports watcher in general, whether that is basketball or any sport, but, of course, I had to check out Cooper. (The) sky is the limit, honestly. What I saw, just the way he reads the game already at that age. (He is) barely 18, athletic, (has) skills. I heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything I saw and heard is that he is the real deal.

Flagg played two games with the Mavericks in the NBA Summer League, averaging 20.5 points, five rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 35.7% shooting from the field. He produced 31 points and four rebounds in his final appearance on July 12.

The 6-foot-8 Maine native is highly regarded because of his size, athleticism and potential to impact games on both ends of the court. He is projected to start for the Mavericks and could have the potential to have a productive rookie campaign.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said the team is going to ask a lot of Flagg to maximize his development. The organization is hopeful that Flagg can have a smooth transition to the NBA, beginning with the start of training camp on Sept. 30.