Ever since the Dallas Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg, the widespread consensus has been that the 18-year-old forward must give a reason for the fans to believe in the franchise again and fill the void left by Luka Doncic. However, for Sam Mitchell, those expectations are nothing short of misguided. He made it clear how Flagg is a completely different type of player, one that will never manage to erase Luka from the Mavs’ fans’ hearts but will definitely leave his own unique impression.
Sam Mitchell has high hopes for Cooper Flagg
One of the primary reasons Luka earned five All-NBA First Team selections during his time with the Mavericks was his ability to consistently average over 27 points per game, season after season. Not only did he carry the scoring load, but as the team’s primary ball handler, he dazzled the fans with his Magic Johnson-esque playmaking ability, making his form the engine behind the Mavs’ success.
Flagg, however, plays a different game. With experienced playmakers like D’Angelo Russell on the roster, Flagg will not be expected to control the offense. Instead, his role would be to dominate the paint by grabbing rebounds and gradually develop his game to average 22 to 25 points per game while registering double-doubles on a routine basis, along with having a strong defensive presence with Anthony Davis. Thus, Mitchell made it clear that he believes Flagg has the potential to win Mavs fans over, but expecting him to ‘replace’ Luka is unrealistic.
“Cooper Flagg, man. I think he’s the real deal. I’m excited for Dallas. He’s not gonna make people forget Luka, but the way this team has the ability to win and the fact that Cooper Flagg is gonna be a different kind of a star for the Dallas Mavericks,” Mitchell said while appearing on the Sirius XM NBA Radio Show. “I think these fans are gonna be all in.”
Sam Mitchell feels another star will decide the Dallas Mavericks’ potential
Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, all eyes are understandably on Flagg and how he’ll hold his own while helping the Mavericks contend for a championship, especially with arguably one of the strongest frontcourts in the league. However, Mitchell believes the team’s true ceiling will only be unlocked when Kyrie Irving returns from injury. If Kai finds his rhythm, Mitchell insists the Mavericks could become an unstoppable force, and who knows, even chase the Larry O’Brien trophy as early as next season itself.
“I think Dallas, when they get Kyrie back and they can stay healthy, they can be as good as OKC or Houston,” Mitchell added. “So, I like their depth. I like their team, a lot, for me, depends on Kyrie.”
Unlike most sports media analysts, Mitchell is keeping things simple. He hasn’t crowned Flagg as the Mavs’ savior just yet, but he’s confident that with the talent that the rookie from Duke possesses, he can elevate this team’s winning prowess. So, if the Mavericks collectively avoid the injury bug, they can definitely chase a top seed in the tightly contested Western Conference.
