Former Mavericks Head Coach Says He Would Take Cooper Flagg Over Luka Doncic

The Dallas Mavericks have seen a drastic shift in eras over the past season. From Luka Doncic to Cooper Flagg, the team has seen a passing of the baton, a metaphorical shift in duties as a franchise cornerstone. While both players are special in their own right, former Mavericks head coach Avery Johnson shared an interesting take while comparing them.

While doing the 2025 NBA Draft Night coverage for CBS Sports, Johnson claimed that he would take Flagg ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers' superstar. He said:

"Man, give me Cooper Flagg. This team is going to be tremendous once Kyrie Irving gets healthy. You're still going to have Anthony Davis when he's healthy. They're going to re-sign Daniel Gafford. Obviously, there's been talk about Kyrie Irving re-signing."

"This team is gonna be built to be one of the best two-way teams in the league, and they didn't even have to really sacrifice any of their depth. They have some quality young players coming off that bench... This is really exciting. The Mavericks' future is bright. But they have a window, when they're healthy, of the next 2-3 years with this roster as currently constructed."

Johnson presents an interesting comparison between Doncic and Flagg. But how he has set up his argument may be more counterintuitive to his point.

When Doncic joined the Mavericks, they were one of the weakest teams in the West, having posted a 24-58 record in the 2017-18 season. Although Doncic's rookie season didn't see the Mavs transform into a superpower, the Slovenian continued to work towards this goal with whatever tools he had.

The 2019-20 season was when the team made a breakthrough. After pairing Doncic with Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavs posted a 43-32 record, finishing seventh in the West and securing a playoff spot.

Following this season, Doncic remained the driving force for the team, carrying relatively ordinary rosters to playoff appearances. In his last complete season with the team, the superstar even led the Mavs to the NBA Finals.

As gifted as Flagg is, and there is no doubt about what he's going to bring to the table in Dallas, comparing him to Doncic is not fair to either. 

The Duke star is going to find himself in one of the best rosters (on paper) in the league. While there is a lot of potential for this team to dominate in the West, it is a fact that the absence of stars due to injuries will affect their overall performance.

It is easy to compare an unknown variable to Doncic because it is far simpler to comprehend what he has already achieved. But considering that he is only 26 years old, it is fair to say he hasn't even entered his prime yet.

The following season will be an interesting one, purely to follow the career trajectory of both players. As the Lakers also look to return to title glory, with new ownership backing them, the Purple and Gold will look to Doncic to lead the way.