Cooper Flagg already embodies the one trait that made Luka Doncic a true Maverick

Fans in DFW are loyal to most of their players, and when Luka Doncic was traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, fans were sympathetic toward Doncic while feeling angry toward Nico Harrison. The soon-to-be 19-year-old Cooper Flagg might have one trait that Doncic never got the chance to fully earn in Dallas. That's loyalty.

99 percent of 18-year-olds are supposed to be in high school finishing up their second semester, but Flagg is putting up 40-point games in the NBA. As Flagg is playing for his third team in three years (Montverde, Duke, and now the Mavs), it's up to the fans to make the kid feel welcome. In one interview, Flagg says he already feels the warm response, and he already wants to give back to those who believe in him while remaining a Maverick until the wheels fall off.

"It means a lot to me for this to be my first city and God willing, however it goes, you know, be the only city," Flagg said. "It's the first city I've ever played basketball in, and it means a lot to me."

Cooper Flagg's loyalty to Dallas is already clear

He clearly loves being in Dallas, and this isn't just any other quote. Making it clear that he has dreams of being a Maverick forever can't be overlooked. Loyalty is hard to come by in today's NBA. Flagg is truly one of a kind, on and off the court.

Flagg's words should excite Mavs fans, as he continues to quickly become the fan-favorite that he's supposed to be as the No. 1 overall pick. He started with some obvious rookie growing pains, but since then, he's been on fire as someone who's on pace to win the Rookie of the Year award. This is a great sign after Harrison ripped the hearts of Mavs fans a year ago.

Flagg is giving the Mavericks a chance at having another homegrown superstar on the roster that leads them through the thick and thin. Doncic wanted to do this badly, as he even admitted that he wanted to be in Dallas for his entire career after he was traded to the Lakers.

Doncic being this honest after the trade shouldn't be overlooked, and this only infuriated Mavericks fans even more.

He wanted to bring a title to Dallas as badly as he wanted to breathe. Doncic was always about winning, and he was meant to be a Maverick forever.

We all saw his raw emotional reaction to the Mavs' tribute video for him in his first game back. Fans were angry at Harrison because they didn't allow Doncic to finish his journey properly, and the Mavericks didn't replicate the loyalty that he gave them.

It's safe to say that fans are fine with Harrison getting fired and Doncic thriving. Even if he is thriving with a team like the Lakers, a team that Mavs fans loathe to hear about, the DFW locals are keeping up with their end of the bargain on loyalty by cheering on Doncic wherever he goes.

The Mavs have already quietly built a dream class in the 2025 NBA Draft, not just by drafting Flagg, but by basically stealing Ryan Nembhard. The two rookies are thriving together. That's the key to the building for the future. It's also an incentive for both Flagg and Nembhard to stay together for many years to come.

Former Mavs point guard Brad Davis is still seen as Mr. Maverick, as he represented true loyalty by staying with the Mavericks for the first 12 seasons in the team's history. He was on the original roster in 1980, and it's easy to see why he was the first player in team history to have his jersey retired. Dirk Nowitzki continued this tradition by staying with one team for 21 seasons. He's the only player in NBA history to do that.

Flagg is about the luckiest draw the Mavericks could've gotten. After a 1.8 percent chance of getting the first overall pick, the Mavs did it. They got their man for the future in Flagg, and all the future general manager needs to do is secure him for the future and not even think about trading him. Harrison hilariously tried to take credit for the Flagg pick, but we all know it was pure luck.

The Mavs needed that luck to secure their future, and with Flagg's loyal attitude, all fans want is not to make the same mistake they did with Doncic.