Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and Mavericks first overall pick Cooper Flagg and head coach Jason Kidd. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mavericks' Cooper Flagg praised by Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Jul 7, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg is getting ready to lead the franchise into its next chapter.

Flagg, 18, was the consensus No. 1 overall pick out of Duke, which is a position that's been laid out for him for years.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison praised Flagg for what he brings to the table.

Flagg praised by Nico Harrison

“When people talk about him, they don’t talk about basketball with him,” Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said via The Athletic insider Christian Clark. “They talk about all the intangibles. When you have a player who’s that good and they talk about the intangibles, that’s a guy who’s going to add to your culture.”

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd also spoke about Flagg and the talent he has coming into the league.

“Just sitting here listening to him, isn’t it incredible?” Kidd said. “We are talking about an 18-year-old who has all the right answers.”

Flagg has all the tools needed to be a leader for a team in the NBA, making Dallas' job pretty easy at the top. The Mavericks just have to figure out how to maximize his potential.

It will be up to Harrison to find the right players to put around Flagg that will make him the most successful, while Kidd's role is to figure out how to run plays that will put the No. 1 overall pick in the best position to have an impact on the court.

Flagg will lead the Mavs in the Las Vegas Summer League from July 10-20.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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