“He’s (Cooper Flagg) a great all-around player. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but a little baby Dirk [Nowitzki]? Could be. When Dirk came in, Dirk was raw like that.” Shaquille O’Neal compared the 2025 consensus number 1 draft pick to the Mavs icon. Shaq even admitted that the 18-year-old could be raw turning pro, but just working hard like Nowitzki, Flagg could have a great future. But why does the Big Aristotle feel Dallas is the right fit for the Blue Devil?
“Just take this time. The good thing about the NBA and our culture and Texas culture, they’re gonna give you room to breathe.” As per Shaq, the scrutiny in Dallas would be significantly less than in comparison to bigger markets like Los Angeles or New York. But Cooper Flagg has to not turn complacent, and focus on getting every year. “First year, we wanna see what you do. Second year, we’re gonna be expecting something. After that, no more excuses. We’re going to need you to step it up.”
In fact, Shaquille O’Neal knows that Flagg won’t disappoint, as the Mavs have the right tools.”They’re going to treat him right, they’re going to teach him what he needs to know. I look forward to watching him play.” But in order to improve, the Maine native will have to be receptive to feedback. But his feedback channels have to be a close group of people. This list, per Shaq, also includes Nico Harrison, currently the most controversial figure in Dallas.
“You have to listen to the important people. First of all, you got to listen to your parents, listen to the GM, listen to the trainer, and listen to the coach, and then whoever you pick as your friend on the team, a vet, listen to him.” The close group for Flagg, as per O’Neal, should include Harrison, despite the GM trading away Luka Doncic a few months ago. But currently, there are no reports suggesting that the Blue Devil will also have the same fate.
After all, Flagg had a private dinner with a contingent of Mavs officials. And it seems there is a plan in place to integrate the young prodigy with the team as soon as possible.
Not Harrison, but another person from Shaquille O’Neal’s list is ready to provide the right environment for Flagg
The man with a plan is none other than the HC of the Mavs. Yes, Jason Kidd, who had a reserved reaction when asked about the Luka trade, is now very active in training Flagg. After all, in his only season with Duke, he reached the Final Four, averaging 19.2 points per game. Even though the team has no Luka Doncic, the core of the team includes Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson.
Even Jason Kidd knows the kind of player he is getting with Flagg, “He doesn’t turn 19 until December, and so just understanding he’s young, but he’s very talented, can play both ends.” Moreover, he will have veteran stars like Kyrie, Klay, and AD guiding him every step of the way, which could be huge for Flagg’s growth in the NBA.
With just 1.8% of winning the draft lottery, somehow the odds were only in Nico Harrison’s favor. Now it will be interesting to see if this move actually takes place. Remember, the draft will only be official on the final day. Will the GM have another curveball up his sleeve? Only time will tell.
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