DALLAS \u2014 Most nights at American Airlines Center, before the arena fills and the lights come up, two players share the floor during pregame warmups without much fanfare. One is 19 years old and averaging 20.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists across 65 games as the centerpiece of a franchise rebuild. The other is in his 14th NBA season, a three-time All-Star and a champion, working through the same deliberate routine he has refined over a decade and a half of professional basketball.<\/p>\n
Cooper Flagg<\/a> and Khris Middleton<\/a> do not always need to exchange words for something to be transferred. The habits are visible. The preparation is on display. And for a teenager trying to learn what it means to be a professional scorer at the highest level, simply being in that space \u2014 watching how a veteran of Middleton\u2019s caliber approaches his body and his craft before the opening tip \u2014 carries its own instruction.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot from Khris,\u201d Flagg said after a March overtime loss to Golden State. \u201cHe\u2019s a professional scorer and has been around the league for a long time. I\u2019m trying to take parts of that side of the game from him and learn in those aspects. He has a lot to teach me, so I\u2019m excited to be able to learn from him.\u201d<\/p>\n Middleton has watched that process up close since arriving via trade at the deadline, and his read on what Flagg brings to the floor every night \u2014 despite being the primary target on every opponent\u2019s scouting report \u2014 cuts to the core of what makes the rookie so difficult to contain. <\/p>\n \u201cKnowing that he\u2019s the number one guy on most scouting reports and gets the most attention, he still finds a way to be effective each game,\u201d Middleton told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cJust his versatility and his will.\u201d<\/p>\n The Work Behind the Work<\/p>\n Dallas acquired Middleton at the trade deadline in the Anthony Davis<\/a> deal, and the two found an easy rhythm almost immediately. Before a late-March game against the Warriors, Flagg and Middleton were spotted working on post-ups during shootaround at the Mavericks\u2019 practice facility \u2014 one of the many instances throughout the season where the veteran has taken a hands-on role in the rookie\u2019s development.<\/p>\n Head coach Jason Kidd<\/a> offered a window into what was actually being drilled.<\/p>\n \u201cThey were just talking about the pressure and knowing how to release pressure,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cKhris has given him some of his wisdom on what he has used to be successful down there in the post. For Khris, his wisdom \u2014 he\u2019s a champion, he\u2019s played the game at the highest level. For him to spend time with Cooper and help him as he goes forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Middleton has made a career out of the details that do not show up in highlights \u2014 reading help defenders, creating contact at the right moment, knowing when to go and when to wait. Those are precisely the skills that Flagg, at 6-foot-9 with the frame to bully smaller defenders on any switch, is positioned to absorb and weaponize as his game matures.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a student of the game,\u201d Middleton told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cHe wants to be great. He watches, he pays attention, he asks questions \u2014 that\u2019s what all great players do. They observe, ask questions, and then go out there and play as hard as they can.\u201d<\/p>\n Opening Up the Floor<\/p>\n The most visible area of Middleton\u2019s influence has been Flagg\u2019s three-point shot \u2014 or more precisely, his willingness to use it. Flagg entered this season shooting 29.3% from three on just 3.5 attempts per game, numbers that reflect both selectivity and inconsistency from deep. The reluctance to pull the trigger has been a recurring point of emphasis from the veterans around him all season.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce he starts letting it fly and knocking those shots down, it\u2019s going to open up so much more for him,\u201d Middleton told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cDefenses know once he gets to the paint, he\u2019s a handful to deal with. So once he gets a consistent three-ball like he\u2019s working on, it\u2019s going to make him even better.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd has connected that development directly to Middleton\u2019s mentorship and framed it not just as an offensive upgrade but as a matter of long-term sustainability.<\/p>\n \u201cHe didn\u2019t hesitate. He was super aggressive,\u201d Kidd told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>, reflecting on Flagg\u2019s shooting in Thursday\u2019s performance against Orlando. \u201cThat\u2019s something we\u2019ve talked about \u2014 him looking to shoot the three more. He loves to drive, we all know that, but this is the next step. The attempts matter \u2014 you\u2019re going to make some and miss some. It also helps take some wear and tear off his body so he\u2019s not getting hit as much inside.\u201d<\/p>\n Brandon Williams<\/a>, who plays alongside Flagg every night and has been one of the most vocal advocates for him taking more threes, credited Middleton specifically for helping Flagg identify and attack his spots.<\/p>\n \u201cJust finding his spots on the floor \u2014 where he likes the ball,\u201d Williams told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s picking his spots, knowing when to shoot, where to get it, and he\u2019s being more demanding \u2014 telling us where he wants it. And Khris Middleton has done a great job trying to coach him, showing him how to get to those spots. Having a vet like that is huge.\u201d<\/p>\n Middleton also put into words what makes Flagg such a difficult matchup when all of those elements come together \u2014 and what the ceiling looks like when his three-point threat becomes reliable.<\/p>\n \u201cJust his size and versatility,\u201d Middleton told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cTo be 6\u20199\u2033, 6\u201910\u201d, whatever he is, and handle the ball all over the court \u2014 that\u2019s a nightmare matchup. He does a great job of being aggressive and putting defenses in tough positions.\u201d<\/p>\n The Proof of Concept<\/p>\n