Former Duke star Cooper Flagg made his professional debut look easy. In just 14 minutes of his first preseason appearance with the Dallas Mavericks, the No. 1 overall pick filled the box score with 10 points, six rebounds, and six assists while hitting two of three three-pointers and finishing plus-8 in a 106-93 win.
Flagg called the night “a lot of fun” and said what stood out most was the team’s unselfish style. “This is a great team,” he said. “We have a lot of really good guys and a lot of great players. I thought we just played together really well, and that’s a fun brand of basketball to play. The ball’s moving around, everybody has each other’s back.”
The 19-year-old immediately showed the defensive instincts that made him a star at Duke, rotating for a help-side block early in the first quarter. “We’ve been working on rotations defensively and different things like that,” he said. “Just being the low man, rotating over, and having my guys’ backs.”
Offensively, Flagg found his rhythm during a second-quarter surge when he scored all 10 of his points, knocking down both threes and a pair of free throws. “I just took whatever the defense gave me,” he said. “Keeping it simple, making the right play, whether it’s a pass or a shot. Early on, it was dumping down to the bigs, then later coming off screens and shooting it.”
He wasn’t the only ex-Blue Devil to shine: Dereck Lively II added four points, four rebounds, two steals, and a block in 16 minutes, giving Dallas energy around the rim. Anthony Davis paced the starters with seven points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while P.J. Washington led all scorers with 14 off the bench.
Flagg said the transition to playing alongside multiple bigs has been an adjustment but also an advantage. “It’s a different style of basketball that I haven’t played before, but it allows me to expand my game,” he said. “We can all handle the ball and play positionless basketball, so it’s not really like playing with two bigs. Having that size plays to our advantage defensively.”
The former Blue Devil also pointed to the work he’s put in since Summer League to improve his handle and pick-and-roll reads. “That’s something we worked a lot on this summer,” he said. “Being comfortable expanding the floor, using the space that this bigger court gives you, and coming off those pick-and-rolls ready to knock down open shots.”
Flagg credited veteran guard D’Angelo Russell for helping him adjust quickly to the pro level. “He’s been an incredible influence,” Flagg said. “He’s a real role model, playing really hard and really smart. He sees the game at a different level, and I think I can learn a lot from him.”
For a debut that lasted barely a quarter, the numbers and the impact spoke volumes. Cooper Flagg looked every bit the player Duke fans expected him to become – efficient, composed, and ready for the spotlight.