Cooper Flagg experiences 'welcome to the NBA' moment

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg learned Monday how fast fortunes can change in the NBA. 

Less than 24 hours after posting a historic stat line, the 18-year-old had his worst night as a pro, finishing with two points (1-of-9 shooting) and two rebounds in a 101-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Flagg, the starting point guard, had zero assists and was a -20 on the floor — by far the worst net rating of any player across both teams.  

To make things worse, Flagg hurt his shoulder early in the game and was benched for most of the fourth quarter. The teenager returned to the floor in the waning seconds, but the game was out of reach.

Cooper Flagg struggles against the elite

For Flagg, Monday's game was both a test and a rehearsal of what the NBA's elite looks like. Going up against the reigning champions, Flagg could not impose his will, especially on the offensive end. He shot 0-of-5 when guarded by Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, OKC's twin towers, who made it arduous for him to get to the rim.

Flagg, widely regarded as an elite defender for his age, did not have much luck on the other end, either. Holmgren shot a perfect 3-of-3 when guarded by Flagg, which included a vicious poster dunk. 

In many ways, Flagg had his "welcome to the NBA" moment on Monday, which will likely only help him going forward.   

Cooper Flagg understands the benching

The forgettable game didn’t dampen Flagg's spirits. After the game, in which he was admittedly "flat," Flagg said he understood why Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd benched him during crunch time. 

"The way the game was going, we had a group out there that was doing really well and was on a run, so I see where coach was at with that," Flagg said of his benching, via ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "And I mean, I was flat. I wasn't myself. I wasn't impacting the game at a high level, wasn't doing the right stuff. So obviously, that's an easy decision for coach. He was just out there trying to win the game."

The Mavs are unsure whether to play Flagg when they face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, which would be their third game in four nights. The ruthless NBA schedule is another rude awakening for the teenager, who will likely go through more growing pains as the season continues.