Cooper Flagg's most underrated skill is already turning heads with the Mavericks

After a long five-month wait, Dallas Mavericks basketball is finally here after a dominant first preseason win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. While results during the preseason don't matter in the long run for the Mavericks, what the team learned about newcomers Cooper Flagg and D'Angelo Russell may have been the most important nugget to come out of a season-opening preseason game.

Russell not only wowed in his 15 minutes on the floor, but Flagg continued to prove any doubters wrong with an impressive second-quarter shooting display. Not only would Flagg splash the only two threes he attempted in the quarter, but he also displayed his handle and ability to play make in his limited time on the floor.

In his one-half performance, Flagg finished with an impressive 10 points and three assists, but no fan could have expected Flagg to show off his innate passing IQ this early into his rookie year. Flagg's ability to find open cutters and make cross-court passes look easy at just the age of 18 could open so many wrinkles in the Mavericks' offense that fans weren't prepared to see this early in a rookie season.

Flagg's playmaking is levels above what anyone thought was possible

Heading into the offseason, the Mavericks truly had a lack of playmaking and passing around the perimeter after the loss of Kyrie Irving. While many fans expected other players to take the reins of handling the ball, Flagg looked almost natural in the time he had on the floor when passing the ball.

Alongside Russell's impressive passing display, Flagg continued to wow fans with the presence that he attracted from the Thunder defense and then used that ability to create open looks for teammates. On multiple occasions, Flagg was able to connect on open cutters, which created easy buckets at the rim or simple passes to the corner that resulted in wide-open makes.

While the Mavericks were playing a lesser Thunder opponent that didn't feature any of their starting five players, the ability alone to dissect a defense in his first actual NBA action should be impressive in its own right. Flagg's passing not only put fans on notice, but it may be an easy route for Kidd and Dallas' coaching staff to use Flagg's playmaking to their advantage.

There's no doubt that losing Irving and trading away Luka Doncic diminishes any team's playmaking and offensive ceiling, but with the Mavericks playing as fast and spreading the ball as much as they did against the Thunder, the team could be in store for a special run. The Mavericks and Flagg will need to continue to display their offensive capabilities in their upcoming preseason games, but regardless, fans are now excited to see what a mid-season form Mavericks team can potentially look like.

Flagg didn't just wow in the playmaking department, but the Mavericks truly allowed the 18-year-old to show off his Swiss army knife skillset. In the opening minutes, it was clear that Flagg wasn't just going to be one of the main focal points of this Mavericks team, but that he was going to be the engine that kept the whole thing running.

From working in transition to finding open teammates, Flagg truly put on a display that would get any doubter licking their lips at a reason to cheer for the former Duke Blue Devil. Flagg will need to continue to work on his handle and show off his passing ability, but after only one game, it's clear that Flagg may be better than anyone truly anticipated.