Final 2025 NBA Preseason Grades for Dallas Mavericks Rookie Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks' preseason slate is done.
They went 3-1, often looked like the potential defensive stalwart many are anticipating, and received solid contributions from the rookie along the way
In those four games, Flagg was the team's second-leading scorer and averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 turnovers, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in just 21.7 minutes.
He'll play more in the regular season, of course. And if he maintains that kind of production over additional playing time, his regular-season averages could come in close to the per-75-possession numbers he just put up in these exhibitions: 17.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.0 turnovers, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks.
That's a stat line that would almost certainly put him in line for Rookie of the Year. Before we look too far ahead, though, let's hand out some letter grades for the limited action we've already seen.
Playmaking: B+
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The only thing holding Flagg back from an A here is lack of volume. Had he been given a handful more opportunities, a top grade would have been undeniable.
However, the Mavericks played plenty of on-ball creators and scorers this preseason, including Ryan Nembhard (whose passing was one of the preseason's most intriguing developments), D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Smith Jr. Even Anthony Davis, Dallas' highest-volume scorer, holds the ball enough to deny his playmakers a handful of assists.
Relative to expectations, experience level, position and role, Flagg more than passed this portion of the exam.
He didn't make a ton of mistakes. He was rarely sped up by opposing defenders, even on the occasion they pressed him a bit coming up the floor.
He found teammates in transition with hit-ahead passes, and connected out of his own drives with drop-offs and kickouts.
As he gains more experience operating out of pick-and-rolls, there's a real chance Flagg develops into a bona fide lead playmaker. At the very least, he's proved himself capable of secondary creation.
Defense and Rebounding: A
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Again, we're grading Flagg relative to expectations and experience. Most rookies aren't positively impactful defenders. In fact, plenty detract from their teams' defenses.
But even if Flagg wasn't graded on a curve here, he might get the A.
Two of the comps that accompanied Flagg to the NBA were Andrei Kirilenko and Gerald Wallace, and he lived up to those in the preseason.
He moves laterally better than most 6'9" players. He's explosive around the rim and from the weakside. And his stocks were almost always the product of good instincts and being in the right position, as opposed to gambles that may have compromised his teammates.
He also tallied a fair number of defensive rebounds, especially when you consider Dallas' jumbo frontcourt with AD, Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford.
There will be growing pains for Flagg this season, but they aren't as likely on this end. He figures to be an impact player from opening night.
Scoring: B-
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Typically, a No. 1 pick joins a team that has tons of scoring opportunities waiting for him.
The Mavericks converting a 1.8 percent shot at that top pick means Flagg's situation is different. Even without a healthy Kyrie Irving, Dallas has several helpful veterans who expect shots.
That makes it difficult for Flagg to figure out where and how he fits in. But his feel for the game has actually helped him pass that portion of the scoring test.
At times, Flagg was almost overly deferential, but that's a wise way to ingratiate himself with teammates such as Davis, Russell, P.J. Washington and Klay Thompson.
At least for now, picking his spots, taking advantage of easy opportunities like dunks created by others, grabbing putbacks or making timely cuts to the rim is smart.
But Flagg also showed off the ability to get by defenders in transition and even hit some pull-up jumpers.
It was those more difficult attempts that contributed to a 39.5 field-goal percentage and a 30.8 three-point percentage, but that hardly predicts how efficient he'll be by the end of the season.
He'll get more used to the way defenses guard him. Contests will eventually affect his shot less. And as he mixes opportunism with self-creation, he figures to be one of this rookie class's best scorers.
Overall: A-
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Overall, Flagg didn't destroy expectations across the preseason. His basic numbers didn't leap off the page. And while he generated a number of highlights, they weren't always the jaw-dropping variety.
Again, though, he's coming into a situation that doesn't really allow him to tally a bunch of assists and shot attempts. And his quick adaptation to that situation is going to serve him well.
Flagg has willingly scaled his game down a bit from what he did at Duke. He may not have a lot of 30 and 10 games this season, but he will have a lot of 15, seven, five, two and two nights.
And his wide-ranging contributions are going to help Dallas win games this season.
