The Dallas Mavericks could be in for an interesting 2026-2027 NBA season with youth sensation Cooper Flagg.
According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst, Flagg could be bound for a massive leap in his second season in the NBA. Windhorst compared him to LeBron James, who immediately catapulted himself into one of the top five players in the NBA during his second season.
Cooper Flagg Could Follow The Footsteps of LeBron James
Flagg could follow the same trajectory, said Windhorst in his NBA ranking article with ESPN.
“I don’t make predictions, but I will say that throughout all last season, Cooper Flagg kept giving me flashbacks to LeBron James as a rookie,” Windhorst said. “By LeBron’s second season, he was a top-five player, and I feel strongly that this is Flagg’s destiny too. We’ll just have to wait and see how fast that prophecy is fulfilled.”
Flagg was selected No. 1 overall by the Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft and immediately made a profound impact at the NBA level, just like LeBron once did in 2003.
Despite a steep learning curve to start his NBA career, Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 82.7% from the free-throw line, a solid indicator of his touch.
Flagg showcased rare versatility, functioning at times as a primary ball-handler and defensive anchor, en route to becoming the first teenager in NBA history to score 51 points in a single game.
Flagg enters his sophomore NBA season amid social media buzz that he grew two inches to stand at 6-foot-11, though his trainer Matt MacKenzie has playfully noted, in a Tiktok video, he hasn’t used a measuring tape.
Nevertheless, Flagg retains elite mobility, a 7-foot-2 wingspan, and versatile frame suitable for guarding multiple positions, giving Mavericks much to anticipate for the upcoming season.
His offseason workout is also preparing him to share the floor with returning veteran Kyrie Irving, which is expected to ease some of the primary initiation pressure off Flagg.
Cooper Flagg Trainer Gives Glimpse Of Offseason Growth For Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg has been working in his game throughout the offseason.
According to his trainer Matt MacKenzie, Flagg is getting acclimated to the Mavericks’ new coaching staff and teammates.
“He spent a lot of time in Dallas with getting acclimated to the new coaching staff and some of his future teammates. He’s learning a little bit about what they’re all about. So it’s been a really good offseason,” he said in his interview with RG.org.
In his second season, Flagg will be playing under new head coach Dusty May. Mackenzie said Flagg has built a close relationship with May and the returning Kyrie Irving this offseason.
“I know that Kyrie has a ton of respect for the player that Cooper is. Just like Coach May, he wants to continue to help Cooper take that next step in his career,” Mackenzie said. “They’ve had a chance to spend some time together on the court and in workouts when they’ve played pickup a little bit. I think they really enjoyed playing with each other.”
With Flagg’s potential leap, the Mavericks have a lot to be optimistic about for the upcoming season.
Mavericks Receive Good News As Cooper Flagg Gets Compared To LeBron James