Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after making a last second shot to end the first half against the Arizona Wildcats during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Mavs fans should absolutely love what 6x NBA All-Star said about Cooper Flagg

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 2:40 PM ET

Cooper Flagg enters the Dallas Mavericks as one of the most hyped American prospects in recent history, as he was the clear-cut first overall pick in this year's NBA Draft. He hopes to restore the fanbase's faith in the team after they traded away Luka Doncic, a tragic misstep for the franchise.

However, Mavericks fans will love what 6-time NBA All-Star Blake Griffin said of Flagg on the "Post Moves " podcast with Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston.

"I think he's the most complete player that we've seen come into the NBA in recent memory," Blake Griffin said. "I'm not saying he doesn't have room to grow, he still has a ton of room to grow, but he passes, he shoots, he defends, he rebounds. He seems like a great teammate, seems like a great kid.

"What's the red flag? Which is really exciting for basketball to have these young guys. I mean, even Wemby [Victor Wembanyama], very complete, as well. But Cooper is able to play so many different positions, guard so many different positions, that it's exciting."

Griffin is far from the only personality to be this excited about Flagg entering the NBA. Despite the star rookie reclassifying to join Duke a year early last year, he still looked like the best player in college basketball, and that's coming off a summer with the USA Select Team to prepare the main squad for the Olympics, where he didn't look lost either.

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
— Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston (@PostMovesShow) August 20, 2025

Flagg's Role With Dallas Mavericks This Season

Despite being a rookie, the Mavericks are expected to give Flagg the ball early and often, which was his role during the NBA Summer League, and he thrived in the second game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Kyrie Irving is expected to be out for at least the first half of the season as he recovers from ACL surgery. The team signed D'Angelo Russell to help fill in for Irving, but he's coming off arguably the worst season of his career, and the only other guards on the roster are Brandon Williams and Jaden Hardy. They're expected to bring back Dante Exum, too, but that hasn't happened yet.

Flagg's playmaking is what makes him such an intriguing prospect for a wing. If he's able to create for others from the first game, it will help ease a lot of concerns about the Mavericks.

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

More must-reads: