Cooper Flagg silences the nightmare doubt Mavericks fans feared most

Celtics fans have been dreaming of Cooper Flagg playing for Boston for some time now, even before the 2026 NBA Draft. Flagg grew up a Celtics fan since he grew up in Maine, and Boston fans would love for the Northeasterner to play for the Celtics one day.

They've had their eyes on him since before he played a game at Duke, and he has to be well aware of this. He's one of the best prospects to ever come out of that region, and he's had serious hype for a long time now.

Cooper Flagg doesn't want to play for Boston

Despite Celtics fans' desire for Flagg to come to Boston, the Dallas Mavericks' star rookie shut this narrative down after his first game playing at TD Garden this weekend. A reporter asked Flagg if he'd like to experience playing in Boston as a member of the Celtics in the future, compared to the Mavericks, and he set the record straight about where he wants to be.

"I love being a Maverick," Flagg answered. "That’s home and I don’t want anything else."

His answer couldn't have been more straightforward, and this is exactly how Mavericks fans would have wanted him to answer this. Fans have had the worry of Flagg leaving the Mavericks for the Celtics in the back of their minds for some time now, but it's time to shut that down.

The Luka Doncic trade from last winter has thrust a massive amount of PTSD upon the fan base, as no one expected Doncic to leave the Mavericks. Him being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers was the one move that no one could have ever predicted, and with this in mind, fans have feared that they could lose Flagg down the line.

Mavericks love Cooper Flagg just as much as he loves them

Despite this obvious fear, the Mavericks won't make the same mistake twice. They know how blessed they are to have Flagg on the roster, and they're not going to let him go.

Additionally, the love for one another is mutual.

Flagg has spoken glowingly of Dallas and the organization as a whole since being drafted last summer, and every move that the Mavericks make moving forward has him at the front of their minds. Dallas wants to bring in players who value the same thing that Flagg values on and off the court, and they're looking to build a contender around him as soon as this offseason.

The Mavericks signalled their sky-high belief in Flagg by trading Anthony Davis last month, and they've dove headfirst into the Cooper Flagg era. He's the new superstar and franchise cornerstone in town, and Dallas has the financial flexibility and draft capital to put a much better team around him for the 2026-27 season.

Brighter days are ahead in Dallas, and fans can expect for Flagg to be there through it all despite the inevitable speculation that he'll eventually play for the Celtics.