Cooper Flagg ready to play point guard for the Mavericks

Cooper Flagg approached his first NBA interview with the confidence of a player who has prepared his whole life for this moment. The first pick of the 2025 draft didn’t just talk about adapting to professional basketball, but embracing a completely new role.

Jason Kidd on Cooper Flagg’s NBA Summer League debut:

« I want to put him at point guard… I’m excited to give him the ball against the Lakers and see what happens. »

(via @TheSteinLine) pic.twitter.com/CpYryqfEE9

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 27, 2025

When Jason Kidd mentioned the possibility of playing him at point guard, most rookies might have hesitated. Flagg’s response? « I can’t wait to do it. »

A bold tactical challenge to maximize Flagg’s potential

This decision signals Dallas’s commitment to maximizing their cornerstone from day one. Rather than gradually integrating him in a traditional forward role, they’re asking him to be the general on the court, the decision-maker who controls the pace and flow of the offense.

« I can’t wait to do it, » Flagg told Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News, referring to his past season at Duke. « Coach Scheyer trusted me a lot last year and I handled many responsibilities. I haven’t talked much about it, but in half-court sets I handled the ball a lot and set up different plays. I think it’s something I can do at a high level, so I’m excited to experiment and try new things. »

This confidence isn’t misplaced. At 6’8″ and 205 pounds with a 7’0″ wingspan, Flagg presents matchup problems that opposing coaches will dread. When he brings the ball up, teams face an impossible choice: putting a small guard on him allows Flagg to punish them in the post or shoot over them, while assigning a bigger player lets him blow by them with his handle and court vision.

An ideal environment to develop point guard skills

At Duke, Flagg showcased his complete game with averages of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals and blocks per game. Those assist numbers reveal the playmaking ability that Kidd wants to unlock at the professional level.

« I think when you have someone like Cooper who can handle the ball, who can shoot, who can pass, you want the ball in his hands. And he’s an excellent decision-maker, » Kidd explained to ESPN. « He did it at Duke and in high school too. He’ll make some mistakes. We all did. But his poise at 18 is incredible. »

The experiment will begin in Summer League, where Flagg will make his debut with the Mavericks against the Lakers. While Kyrie Irving recovers from his knee injury, D’Angelo Russell is expected to be the starting point guard, creating the perfect environment for Flagg to develop his point guard skills without the pressure of being the primary ball handler from game one.