From the first moment Cooper Flagg stepped onto an NBA court, it was clear he wasn’t here to blend in. The 18-year-old No. 1 overall pick didn’t enter the preseason playing for minutes or touches — he entered with command.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd made a bold decision: give his youngest player the ball. In the final two preseason games, Flagg started at point forward, running the offense alongside Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II.
“I think he’s done an incredible job of handling the situation of running the team,” Kidd said. “The other thing that I think is going unnoticed is that his teammates enjoy him running the team. That doesn’t happen in this league. So I think that’s a plus.”
Across four preseason games, Flagg averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 21.7 minutes — a modest line statistically, but one that undersells the responsibility he carried.
i“He’s got to keep an index of who got shots, what was the last shot, and that’ll come with reps,” Kidd said. “But he’s done an incredible job handling the situation of running the team.”
A Rookie Thinking Like a Veteran
While the preseason is often about raw flashes, Flagg’s poise stood out most. He spoke about mistakes like a player dissecting film, not one adjusting to the speed of the league.
“Just continuing to get comfortable,” Flagg said. “I made some mental lapses — time and score situations, awareness of the clock. I need to stay more attached defensively and not let a hot player keep getting looks. That’s all part of learning.”
That growth mindset has already set him apart from his peers. When asked about guarding smaller guards in pick-and-rolls, he didn’t flinch.
“It’s never easy,” he said. “You just have to take the challenge, stay locked in, and find ways to disrupt rhythm. Guys will hit tough shots, but the goal is to limit their looks as much as possible.”
Anthony Davis Speaks out on Flagg
It’s that competitiveness and composure that’s made an impression on Anthony Davis, who’s spent training camp both mentoring and testing him. The former No. 1 pick knows what it takes to handle expectations — and he’s watched Flagg face them with calm precision.
“He’s playing phenomenal on both ends and adjusting really well,” Davis said. “He asks questions and listens. Most rookies hit a wall, but I think his season will be different. Even with high expectations, we don’t have to put too much pressure on him to be everything right away. He’s doing everything we ask and more.”
Flagg, for his part, deflects credit. He prefers to emphasize process and shared responsibility rather than individual breakthrough.
“There’s a lot of room to grow,” he said. “I don’t think of it as one person being the point guard. P.J. brought it up a lot, I did too, and Ryan [Nembhard] did as well. We share that responsibility. If I’m getting picked up full court, I’ll tell P.J. to bring it up — it’s about making it easier on each other and staying in rhythm.”
The Rookie Field: Talented but Unproven
Flagg’s control and maturity have pushed him to the front of a class filled with offensive firepower. But while others are chasing individual highlights, he’s earning the trust of a team built to win now.
Ace Bailey, Utah’s fifth overall pick, has been one of the preseason’s breakout scorers. His first three games showcased elite efficiency and athleticism — 25 points on 68.8% shooting against Houston, 20 points on 61.5% against San Antonio, and a quieter three-point outing versus Dallas. Across those games, he averaged 16.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals while shooting 62.2% from the floor and 40.0% from three.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy emphasized patience despite Bailey’s early production.
“The hard part is, we all want to know now. How good is he going to be? And we don’t know, and we can’t know yet,” Hardy said. “He’s shown an incredible ability to learn… he’s really bright. But we all have to give him time.”
Bailey’s scoring touch and fluidity could make him Flagg’s toughest competition, though his team’s rebuilding status may limit his ability to generate wins.
In San Antonio, Dylan Harper is learning how to coexist with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle while carving out his own rhythm. His unselfish playmaking has already earned respect from the Spurs’ franchise cornerstone. Harper’s maturity is evident, but like Bailey, his context — deep roster, shared usage — limits how much he can control.
“He looks ready, very comfortable already throwing these kinds of passes,” Wembanyama said.
Cooper Flagg’s Topps rookie card pic.twitter.com/mhWkDAVLpR
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) October 14, 2025
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Washington’s Tre Johnson already brings natural scoring instincts to the group. The sixth pick entered the league after averaging 19.9 points per game at Texas and has focused on refinement, not reinvention. He remains among the top dark-horse contenders to compete for the award.
“I want to be a 90-percent free-throw shooter,” Johnson said. “I’ve been close before, but I want to hit that mark this year.”
VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick, might be this class’s most complete defender. He’s quickly carved out a role in Nick Nurse’s Philadelphia system as a disruptor who guards multiple positions and thrives in motion-heavy offense. As long as the Sixers’ big-name players stay healthy, the opportunity to put up stats could be limited for Edgecombe.
“He learns something from the film one day and applies it immediately to the floor the next,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said. “He’s rebounding, he’s blocking shots, he’s shooting probably better than we expected. He’s making plays at the rim.”
Each of these rookies brings a unique skill set, but none have been asked to lead playoff-level expectations from day one.
Why Flagg Has the Edge
What separates Flagg from the rest of his class isn’t just opportunity — it’s readiness. He’s already managing lineups with veterans who trust him to control the game.
Kidd has compared the approach to his early years developing Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“The more ball-handlers and playmakers we have, the better we can compete,” Kidd said. “There will be good days and days he has to be better, but that’s part of the process. Getting those reps now means in a few years it’ll just be second nature.”
It’s rare for a player barely out of high school to already be described as a stabilizer, but that’s what Flagg represents in Dallas — not just potential, but balance.
“He’s going to keep learning,” Kidd said. “But the way he’s handled every situation — it’s been impressive. He’s ready for whatever we throw at him.”
That mindset — the refusal to act like a rookie — may be what wins him the Rookie of the Year race. Flagg isn’t chasing numbers. He’s shaping an identity.
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