Cooper Flagg is stealing a page from Luka Doncic's book that Mavericks fans will love

Cooper Flagg had one of the best college seasons this past year, as he won multiple awards, including National College Player of the Year and NABC Freshman of the Year. However, it seems none of those accolades mattered as much as winning and making his team better. This is good news for the Dallas Mavericks, as it is reminiscent of one of their familiar past stars.

Flagg's mindset is similar to Luka Doncic's perspective. Before the infamous trade, Doncic spoke about his mentality in the NBA. He stated that his main focus was getting a ring when asked about how injuries could affect his MVP odds, downgrading the importance of winning MVP. So if this is how Flagg views himself heading to the NBA, then the Mavs struck gold.

If you recall, Flagg helped carry the Duke Blue Devils to a 31-3 record last season. He played a role in helping his former team advance to the Final Four, as Flagg balled out in March Madness. Flagg averaged 21 points, 7.6 rebounds, and five assists per game in five games. So, it's clear that he did his part, even though the team fell short of its goal.

Cooper Flagg's values extend beyond individual success

Flagg appears ready to bring that same collegiate mentality into the NBA. Veteran NBA reporter Mark Medina spoke to Flagg's trainer, Matt MacKenzie, ahead of Flagg's first season in the league. MacKenzie basically stated that Flagg only cares about winning and the success of his team.

"For Cooper, his No. 1 goal is to be able to help his team win games. So as long as he can play a valuable role and impact winning for the Dallas Mavericks, he’s going to be happy," MacKenzie said.

This is the exact player Dallas needs. The team heads into the season with a lot of unknowns, but knowing Flagg is all in is a great start to the year.

The Mavs will need Flagg at his best, as they start the season without Kyrie Irving. The Mavs' guard tore his ACL back in March and isn't expected to be back until the second half of the season. Plus, the team is still uncertain how many games Anthony Davis can sustain in a full season, so knowing Flagg is all in could be the perfect ingredient for a successful season.

Dallas needs Flagg to let the game come to him and let his work do the talking. This shouldn't be a problem for the upcoming rookie.

"He doesn’t spend a lot of time in getting caught up in individual accolades. He feels as though as long as he plays his game, lets his instincts take control and really prepares for the games the way he knows how to, those individual accolades will work themselves out," MacKenzie said.

As mentioned, this is the same mindset Doncic had when on the team. He always played to his fullest ability and did whatever he could to help Dallas win. His time with the Mavs was cut short, though, as the team was headed in a different direction.

However, it now seems Flagg hopes to replicate Doncic's team-first mentality. He is ready to put the team first and do everything in his power to get Dallas back to the promised land.

Last season, the Mavs made the Play-In Tournament as the 10th seed, winning their first game before losing the following match. This was a difference from the prior year, when they made the NBA Finals.

So, it's good to know Flagg is a team player. Dallas will need his mentality for years to come. It's possible this coming season could be a gap year with everything going on, but knowing Flagg doesn't care about individual awards shows the commitment he has as a player. He only cares about "being able to help his team have success." This is everything the Mavs could ask for.