‘The Sky Is the Limit’ — Mavericks Legend Dirk Nowitzki Details How Cooper Flagg Can Follow In His Footsteps
· Yahoo Sports
Cooper Flagg has already given Dallas Mavericks fans plenty of reasons to believe he can become the face of the franchise. After winning Rookie of the Year following a standout debut season, the No. 1 pick is now entering his sophomore campaign with even bigger expectations.
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Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki believes Flagg has what it takes to build a special career in Dallas, potentially following the path of the player who became the franchise’s greatest scorer.
Dirk Nowitzki Sees Huge Potential in Mavericks Phenom Cooper Flagg
Mavs reporter Noah Weber shared Nowitzki’s comments on X, with the Mavericks legend pointing to Flagg’s first season as evidence of what could be ahead.
“He’s had a terrific first season, Nowitzki asserted. “The hype that he had as a No. 1 pick, to basically live through that and exceed that hype, has been incredible to watch…We all know he’s a workaholic, loves hoops, that’s all he does.”
“He wants to get better, he wants to add things to his repertoire…The sky is the limit for him…The way he plays the way he handles himself, so mature out there,” Nowitzki continued.
“Hopefully we can watch him for the next decade plus…Kyrie coming back I think should be great for him to not only be on the ball. He’s a great off-ball player with cuts and posts and he can do all sorts of stuff playing off of Kyrie.”
Flagg certainly gave Nowitzki plenty to admire during his rookie season. The 19-year-old averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 4.5 assists across 70 games, starting every contest.
He also became thefirst rookie in Mavericks history to lead the team in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Much of that production came while Kyrie Irving, the Mavs’ primary offensive weapon, was sidelined. The 9-time All-Star missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from ACL surgery, leaving Flagg to carry a major offensive role for the Mavs.
Now, Irving is working toward a return for the 2026-27 season, giving Flagg the veteran star Nowitzki believes could help accelerate his development.
Irving is expected to return alongside Flagg, with Max Christie, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford also projected to round out Dallas’ starting five. That would give Flagg a very different supporting cast as he enters his second season, with the Mavs no longer having Klay Thompson or Anthony Davis on the roster.
But following Nowitzki’s footsteps carries obvious weight.
The Hall of Famer spent all 21 NBA seasons with the Mavericks, leading the franchise to its only championship in 2011 and winning Finals MVP. He finished his career with 31,560 points, seventh on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and first in Mavericks history.
Flagg obviously has a long way to go before he can approach that résumé. But Nowitzki’s comments are significant because Flagg is entering only his second season and already carries the kind of responsibility usually reserved for established stars.
Dallas is also entering a new era around him. The Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison in November 2025, parted ways with Jason Kidd after the disappointing 26-56 season, and hired Dusty May as their new head coach.
With Flagg leading the way and Irving expected back, Dallas will hope its young cornerstone can take another major step.
For now, Nowitzki sees plenty of room for Flagg’s growth. Considering the shoes the 6-foot-9 youngster is trying to fill in Dallas, that may be one of the biggest compliments he could receive.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.