Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Words on Cooper Flagg After Bucks-Mavericks

Cooper Flagg went toe-to-toe against former back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday night as the Dallas Mavericks hosted the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Center. Flagg turned in his best performance in the NBA with a career-high 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, a block and one triple in 35 minutes of action.

It still wasn’t enough, though, as the Bucks came out on top of a thrilling matchup, 116-114. Antetokounmpo registered a game-high 30 points on 11-of-18 from the floor, to go along with eight rebounds, six assists, a steal, three blocks and one triple.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on during a game.

Flagg did not back down against one of the most dominant superstars in the NBA today. The rookie matched up against Antetokounmpo on the defensive end multiple times throughout the game. Flagg also hit a tough shot over Antetokounmpo to give the Mavs a one-point lead with 28.7 seconds remaining in the game. The Bucks, however, were able to come back to secure the win.

Antetokounmpo was asked to share his thoughts on Flagg after the game, and the Bucks star had nothing but high praise for the 18-year-old rookie.

“Great player,” Antetokounmpo said, via Rashad Miller of Dallas Hoops Journal. “High IQ, can read plays, can get downhill. For a guy his size to be able to handle the ball and make plays for himself or his teammates, he’s incredible.

“Obviously, he has a great coach who gives him the opportunity to have the ball in his hands, and that’s very important in our league — especially when you’re young, 19 or 20 years old. To have a coach who trusts you with the ball down the stretch, throughout the game, that’s a blessing.”

Antetokounmpo knows Mavs head coach Jason Kidd well. The Bucks hired Kidd as their head coach in 2014, which was Antetokounmpo’s second year in the league. Antetokounmpo played four seasons under Kidd before the latter was fired by Milwaukee in 2018.

“We’re lucky,” Antetokounmpo continued. “Because through the history of the game, a lot of players were extremely talented but didn’t have the right coaching or development next to them to help them become who they were supposed to be.

“Cooper having Jason Kidd and his coaching staff, with the talent level he has — being able to make plays for himself, get downhill, get to his spots, create for his teammates — the sky’s the limit. For sure, we’ll be hearing his name for a while in this league.”

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks improved to 7-4 after Monday’s victory. The Mavs, on the other hand, fell to 3-8. Flagg and Co. suffered defeat for the fifth time in their last six games. The Mavs will be back in action on Wednesday against the Phoenix Suns.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Words on Cooper Flagg After Bucks-Mavericks

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