Cooper Flagg's hype is reaching levels reserved only for the NBA's elite

Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg is one of the most hyped players heading into the 2026-27 season. The former Duke Blue Devil wrapped up his rookie season by winning Rookie of the Year over Kon Knueppel, putting up 96 points in a two-game span in April, and he followed his powerful first-year finish with a strong start to the preseason.

Cooper Flagg is already on track to be a superstar

Flagg dominated in his first game, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal. His mid-range jumper looked unstoppable, even with Kyrie Irving not playing, and his superstar leap looked all but guaranteed for his second season.

He's well on his way to having another massive season for Dallas after putting up 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game as a rookie, but his trajectory could be even more impressive than it seems. Flagg isn't just on track to be a superstar. He's on pace to be one of the best and most valuable players in the NBA, and GMs across the league seem to believe this as well.

In NBA.com's 2026-27 NBA GM Survey, Cooper received votes for "If you were starting a franchise today and could sign any player in the NBA, who would it be?"

NBA general managers are putting Flagg in elite company

The only other two players who received votes were Victor Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA already has an NBA championship and two MVP awards, while Wemby has an NBA Finals appearance, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and is on track to be one of the greatest defenders ever.

Their teams met in a seven-game series in the Western Conference Finals last season, and Flagg could put Dallas in the same conversation as San Antonio and Oklahoma City one day if the Mavericks build around him as the Spurs and Thunder have for their respective superstars. Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander are on track to be Hall of Famers, and Mavs fans shouldn't take Flagg's presence in this poll lightly.

Flagg being in the same conversation as these two players is massive after just one season in the NBA, and it shows how special he truly is. The Mavs have one of the most promising players at their fingertips, and other GMs across the league would love to build around him.

He's not only viewed as a young star. Flagg is thought of as a foundational franchise cornerstone.

The Mavericks have every reason to invest in Flagg

His two-way ability, work ethic, slashing, and mentality make him a player that any team would be lucky to have, and his rookie year showed that he has a special career in front of him.

Seeing Coop mentioned alongside Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander should make Mavs fans even more excited than they already are about what's to come, and it's another reason that Dallas should be patient while building around him. He has a long runway ahead of him to grow into one of the faces of the NBA, and this NBA GM survey shows that the noise surrounding Cooper Flagg continues to get louder.

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