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Former NBA Star Blake Griffin Had Strong Words on Cooper Flagg

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Elie Deglaoui | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 1:02 PM ET

As he prepares for his rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks, many have expressed their excitement for Cooper Flagg, who was the first overall pick in this year's NBA draft.

There is a lot to like about Flagg and his fit in Dallas as they look to return to the playoffs. He was fantastic during his lone season at Duke, and he looked good during his limited Summer League action earlier this year.

The sky is the limit for the 18-year-old, and many are expecting him to have an incredibly successful career. This also includes former NBA star Blake Griffin, who knows a thing or two about meeting expectations as the No. 1 overall draft pick.

On Wednesday, the former Los Angeles Clippers forward spoke about Flagg and revealed his excitement for him. In doing so, Griffin said that he feels the Mavericks rookie is "the most complete player that we've seen come into the NBA in recent memory."

"I think he's the most complete player that we've seen come into the NBA in recent memory...He passes, he shoots, he defends, he rebounds, he seems like a great teammate, seems like a great kid. There's like, what's the red flag, which is really exciting for basketball to have these young guys," Griffin said about Flagg.

"I also love that he's in Dallas. I think they have a really solid team around him. Most No. 1 picks are going to teams that haven't been doing too great in the past."

Blake Griffin says rookie Cooper Flagg is the "most complete player we've seen come in the NBA in recent memory." pic.twitter.com/6L3Y7AwPLz
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Cooper Flagg Has High Expectations Ahead of His Rookie Season

Not only is Flagg the top candidate to take home the Rookie of the Year award next season, but he will also be tasked with helping the Mavericks return to the playoffs.

After trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, Dallas struggled the rest of the way. Anthony Davis, who they acquired in the trade, only appeared in nine games for the team, and Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending ACL injury in March.

Though the Mavericks did hold on and make it to the Play-In Tournament, they failed to advance after losing to the Memphis Grizzlies. However, they will look to have a better year next season, and a lot of pressure will be on Flagg to help the team compete immediately.

Regardless of what happens next season, Flagg should have a fantastic NBA career. Like Griffin said, he is already a complete player who has a lot of room to grow. It remains to be seen exactly what he can do in Dallas, but as it stands, there are many reasons to be excited about his outlook.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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