Mavericks' Jason Kidd Asked LeBron James, Steph Curry For Advice on Cooper Flagg

Apr 5, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Mavericks' Jason Kidd Asked LeBron James, Steph Curry For Advice on Cooper Flagg

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated May 2, 2026 6:09 PM ET

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The Dallas Mavericks had an easy selection at the top of the 2025 NBA Draft when they took Cooper Flagg. A minority thought they should've explored the waters on someone like Dylan Harper, especially given their glaring need for guard, but they went with the best player, and that paid off, as he won Rookie of the Year.

However, that didn't stop the Mavericks from doing their necessary homework. Head coach Jason Kidd went on the "Dan Patrick Show" after Flagg was named Rookie of the Year, where he revealed he talked to LeBron James and Stephen Curry about Flagg.

Patrick asked Kidd when he knew Flagg was "real" or special. Kidd said he knew as soon as he talked to Curry and LeBron. "I asked two future Hall-of-Famers, Curry and Lebron, because he participated with Team USA [Select Team in 2024], so I wanted to know the truth, so I went to those two and asked them, 'Can Cooper play?' They both said he's very special.

"Talking to Cooper, I had him over for dinner and said, 'When you were with Team USA, who were the hardest to guard?' He brought up Curry and LeBron... Those two are the ones that stood out, and he said those two were the hardest to guard, so I asked those two about Cooper, and they said he's very special."

Would @RealJasonKidd rather have his HOF career, or Cooper Flagg's career?

"I'm gonna take Cooper Flagg's career... I think his career is gonna be way better than mine." pic.twitter.com/7Sx2g7jZGm
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) April 30, 2026

Cooper Flagg May Be Generational After All

There was a lot of talk before and after the draft last year, wondering just how good he could be. Some thought he was a clear generational talent; others thought he could be an elite secondary star. It has only been one season, but Flagg looks like a future superstar, especially when you stack up his season against other rookie seasons, which we have documented a lot throughout the last few weeks.

Flagg made a big impression with the Select Team going against Team USA in the summer of 2024. That was a lot of people's first sign that he could be elite as he translated to higher levels. Even after he was drafted, Anthony Davis made a joke about wanting to get Flagg back for a play he made in those practices.

As Flagg continues to fill out his frame and develop his jumper, there really is no limit to what he could become. They'll add another lottery pick to pair with him this offseason, and that will be the foundation of the franchise for years to come.

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

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