Dirk Nowitzki Finally Buys into the Cooper Flagg Hype

Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is finally buying into the Cooper Flagg hype. Flagg is a Mavericks rookie who could turn the team around. Here’s more about Nowitzki’s recent change of heart regarding the Duke men’s basketball alum.

Dirk Nowitzki Buys into the Cooper Flagg Hype

The Dallas Mavericks had their fair share of iconic players through the years, such as Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki, 47, retired as a Dallas Maverick in 2019. Luka Doncic succeeded as the Mavericks’ next iconic player from 2018 to 2025. Doncic, now 26, was suddenly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in early February.

Since the sudden Doncic trade, Dallas was heavily criticized but supposedly made up for its shortcomings with the winning of the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago on May 12. The Mavericks then unofficially began the Cooper Flagg era during the NBA Summer League games. Most of the Mavericks — and NBA — world immediately bought into the Flagg hype, but not Nowitzki. Well, not until now.

Nowitzki said, “The hype is real, for sure. I’m not the biggest college sports watcher in general, whether that’s basketball or any sport, but of course I checked out Cooper. Sky is the limit, honestly. What I saw, just the way he reads the game already at that age. (He’s) barely 18, athletic, (has) skills. I heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything I saw and heard is he’s the real deal.”

Dirk Nowitzki’s Current Job

Dirk Nowitzki retired as a member of the Dallas Mavericks in 2019 after a 21-year NBA career — all of which were with the Mavericks. However, Nowitzki kept ties with the Mavericks’ organization, serving as a Special Advisor since June 18, 2021.

Final Thoughts

Dirk Nowitzki changed his mind about Cooper Flagg, but he had every right to question Flagg. The latter excelled in his lone season at Duke, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. The latter also shot 48.1% from the field, 38.5% from three-point line, and 84.0% from the free-throw line.

However, some NCAA rising stars flop in the NBA, because of physicality and defense, in-style game differences, court dimensions, game clock and referees, and/or grueling schedules. Hopefully, Flagg can be a franchise player for the Mavericks for a long time. Nowitzki hopes so too.