Giannis Antetokounmpo understands what it means to be a young player figuring out the NBA.
A decade ago, he was the raw, wide-eyed forward trying to make sense of a faster game, learning under Jason Kidd in Milwaukee. Now, as a two-time MVP, he sees those same growing pains — and that same potential — in Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg.
After the Bucks’ 116–114 win over the Mavericks on Monday night, Antetokounmpo spoke at length about Flagg, offering the kind of perspective only someone who’s walked that path can share.
Recognizing Cooper Flagg’s Potential
Antetokounmpo said what impresses him most about Flagg isn’t just his physical tools — it’s his intelligence, confidence, and fearlessness.
“Great player,” Antetokounmpo said. “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.”
Flagg, just 18 years old, has already shown flashes of something special. Through 11 games, he’s averaged 15.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, and on Monday, he scored a career-high 26 points to go with nine rebounds and four assists. He went right at Antetokounmpo late in the game, earning both respect and recognition from one of the league’s greats.
Antetokounmpo said he’s seen plenty of young players with talent, but few with the kind of developmental environment Flagg has around him.
“We’re lucky,” he said. “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.”
Lessons From a Familiar Mentor
Antetokounmpo’s belief in Flagg comes from personal experience. His own early years were shaped by Kidd, who coached him in Milwaukee from 2014 to 2018. It was Kidd who first handed him the ball and told him to run the offense — an experiment that helped define the player he became.
“Kidd is okay — that’s my guy,” Antetokounmpo said with a grin. “He helped me a lot, one of my mentors, and I still talk to him to this day. Not just as a coach, because obviously you have that player-coach relationship, but we had something deeper than that. He helped me understand how to carry myself, how to work hard, what it takes to be great in this league.”
Those lessons weren’t just about basketball. They were about how to think, how to carry yourself, and how to lead when things aren’t going your way. Antetokounmpo said Kidd challenged him to see the bigger picture — that greatness isn’t just built on skill, but on habits. It was about showing up every day, staying calm in the chaos, and setting the tone for everyone else in the room.
“He went through his ups and downs — played for two decades, went to the Finals, won — and just having a guy like that to guide me, tell me what to look out for, how to think if you want to carry a team, that’s big,” Antetokounmpo said. “It’s a blessing to have someone like that around you. You saw what he did with Luka — when Kidd took over, Luka went to another level. I think it’ll be the same with Cooper. It was the same for me. My first steps as a leader of the Bucks were under Coach Kidd, and he definitely gave me confidence. I don’t just look at him as a coach — he’s a great person to have around.”
Jason Kidd Sees the Parallels Too
Earlier in the day, Kidd was asked if coaching Flagg reminded him at all of guiding Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. He didn’t hesitate to acknowledge the similarities.
“They might be around the same age,” Kidd said. “Cooper’s playing the game the right way, trying to make the right plays, and he’s understanding that he’s got the best perimeter defender on him a lot of times. Right now, the advantage might go to the opponent because he hasn’t gone through this yet, but he’s doing a great job. I wouldn’t compare the two skill sets — they’re different — but they’re similar in learning the position, playmaking, and seeing the floor. Cooper’s going to be fine. He’ll do it at a very high level as time goes on.”
Kidd knows firsthand how difficult that learning curve can be. In 2014, Antetokounmpo was still an unpolished forward when Kidd made the unconventional decision to put the ball in his hands.
A decade later, he’s one of the most versatile players in the game. The Mavericks are betting on a similar trajectory for Flagg.
A Moment Between Teacher and Student
In the fourth quarter of Monday’s game, Antetokounmpo hit a deep three-pointer over P.J. Washington and turned toward the Mavericks’ bench, where Kidd stood with his arms folded. It was a moment of humor between two men who once shaped each other’s careers.
“Yeah, that was for him,” Antetokounmpo said, laughing. “When I was younger, he told me not to shoot threes — that was when I was like 19 or 20. He told me to figure out ways to find angles, facilitate for teammates, post up. He helped me a lot, but he kind of took that part of my game away early because I wasn’t able to develop it as fast. So when I made that shot, I was like, ‘That’s for you — for all the torture you put me through.’”
Even in jest, the moment underscored how deeply Kidd’s influence runs through multiple generations of players — from Antetokounmpo to Dončić and now Flagg.
Cooper Flagg’s Competitiveness Draws Respect
Beyond his stat line, what stands out most about Flagg is how hard he plays. Antetokounmpo said that kind of energy is rare for a player so young — and even rarer for someone who already has so much hype.
“He’s become very coachable,” Antetokounmpo said. “Great player. I don’t think anybody on the court plays harder than him on both ends. He can make plays for himself, make plays for us, and he’s just a beast defensively. He’s everywhere. I think he’s top 10 in deflections in the NBA, and for a young guy, that says a lot. He’s improved his game, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.”
Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers echoed that praise before the game, calling Flagg “an anomaly” — the kind of competitor who will never fail because of his mindset.
“What I love about him — absolutely love — is his competitiveness,” Rivers said. “In the history of our game, guys with that much athleticism, that much competitiveness, and that willingness to learn never fail. They just don’t. He’s going to keep getting better because he wants to, and he’s going to work at it.”
Rivers added that players like Flagg face a challenge most fans overlook: learning to handle losing for the first time.
“Every NBA player goes through that,” Rivers said. “Most of these guys were All-Americans in college, which usually means their teams were pretty good. Then they get drafted to high spots in the NBA, and those teams aren’t good yet. It’s tough — it’s mental. But it’s all about character, and he seems like a high-character guy.”
A Passing of the Torch
For Antetokounmpo, watching Flagg reminds him that greatness is often built quietly — through work, through trust, and through patience. It’s also built by the people willing to guide you there.
“It’s about having people around you who believe in your growth,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s what helps you become who you’re supposed to be.”
That belief once helped Antetokounmpo grow from a raw prospect into a superstar and NBA champion. Now, Kidd finds himself in a familiar role — teaching a young star with the same mix of potential and pressure.
If the past is any indication, Flagg’s story may one day echo the one Antetokounmpo is still writing.
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