3 Improvements Cooper Flagg needs to make to become an All-NBA player

Cooper Flagg's Rookie of the Year season was certainly one to remember.

He was already playing at an elite level and showed the Dallas Mavericks that he has that superstar potential. Now that he's won Rookie of the Year, in year two, Flagg will be looking to make another big leap, and with where he's at right now, just a few improvements can make him a candidate to make an All-NBA team.

3. Scoring efficiency

Flagg's efficiency wasn't bad by any means as a rookie, but the further Flagg got from the basket, the harder it was for him to score. Specifically, his 3-point shooting is where most of his struggles were.

Flagg shot 29.5 percent from three last season, which is about 6 percent below league average. Becoming a real threat from three will open up everything else in his offensive game. It can draw more defensive attention away from the hoop, where Flagg can thrive with his elite slashing ability.

His shot diet was almost exclusively attempts at the rim or mid-range jumpers, and he was pretty much middle of the pack in efficiency when it came to small forwards. A good amount of that can obviously be from just being a rookie and playing at the NBA level for the first time. So, as he gains more experience in the league and gets more reps against the defenders he'll be facing, he can naturally improve that efficiency.

2. Playmaking

Former head coach Jason Kidd experimented with point-forward Flagg, and although it was only for a short time, if Flagg can become smarter and more comfortable with the ball in his hands, he'll make an even better All-NBA case.

Flagg averaged 4.5 assists and 2.3 turnovers per game last season, and for a small forward that was asked to do just about everything, that's not bad. But to really reach that next caliber of player, reducing those turnovers and adding passing as a real skill to his arsenal will be a game-changer.

If everything goes right, Flagg won't have to be forced into a point guard role again, but adding playmaking to his game will only make him and his teammates better. He's not going to be asked to be the full hub of an offense and make insane passes like a Nikola Jokić, but just being smart with the basketball can go a long way.

Flagg already has an amazing teacher in Kyrie Irving, who has been great at protecting the ball throughout his career with a 2.25 assist-to-turnover ratio. Lots of Mavericks players have talked about how amazing Irving has been as a mentor, and learning from someone that talented is something that Flagg can use to take that next step.

The Mavericks also added some much-needed 3-point shooters over the offseason who would greatly benefit from Flagg becoming another effective playmaker in this offense.

1. Clutch performance

The Mavericks were tied for the most clutch games in the NBA last season, but were 25th in clutch win percentage. Not all of that is on Flagg, but one thing that elevates you as a player and catches the eyes of voters is being able to deliver when it matters most.

It's great that Flagg got a lot of clutch game experience last year, as he's likely more comfortable in those situations now. However, this is the year for him to grow and be a go-to guy in the clutch.

Flagg only attempted 1.7 shots on average in clutch time and made only 43 percent of these attempts. To improve in these situations, he needs to be more assertive and confident in clutch time. Guys like Jokić, Jalen Brunson, and Jaylen Brown were all averaging at least 2.5 shots in clutch time, and Flagg's wasn't far off from their efficiency. He just needs to build more on that late-game confidence to show he can be up there with the All-NBA players.

If this season is anything like the last, the Mavericks will be in plenty of clutch-time games, allowing Flagg to spread his wings and become a strong fourth-quarter player, and a more confident Flagg in those games can lead to better clutch performances, more wins, and more looks from the All-NBA voters.

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