Cooper Flagg's superstar leap looks inevitable after Mavericks' first preseason game

Cooper Flagg had all of the hype this offseason. He capped off his first season with 96 points over a two-game span in April, helping him win Rookie of the Year over his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel. His strong end to the season fueled plenty of excitement ahead of his second year in the association, and Mavs fans have been eager to see him take the floor.

Coop worked all summer on all aspects of his game, especially shot creation and 3-point shooting, and it paid off right away on Friday. Fans and media have been predicting that the young forward from Newport, Maine, was in for a massive season, and it only took him one preseason game to show how much he improved.

Cooper Flagg couldn't be stopped against the Rockets

The Dallas Mavericks dropped their first preseason game against the Houston Rockets by a score of 135-117 on Friday, but Flagg was incredible. The second-year forward only played in the first half, but managed to put up 19 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in just 19 minutes.

He was on pace for a monster scoring night had he played the whole game, and he was clearly in a groove.

Flagg was all over the court, drilling mid-range jumpers off the dribble, playing with confidence, and getting his teammates involved. He looked especially confident with the ball in his hands despite being defended by Tari Eason and Amen Thompson often, and his jump shot looked pure off the bounce.

Flagg's growth as a self-creator was one of the biggest takeaways from this game, and this will be key for his superstar leap. All of the best wings in the NBA have a strong mid-range jumper that they can rely on when their team needs a bucket, and Flagg proved that he's well on his way to having this shot in his bag.

Flagg's preseason opener showed why his superstar leap is coming

Coop made the game look easy in this one, and if this was a preview of what's to come during the 2026-27 season, Flagg could find himself as a first-time All-Star or even an All-NBA player.

Combine his improvement offensively with the fact that Kyrie Irving is returning from a year-long absence, and this gives him even more of a reason to take a leap. Irving's on-ball gravity is bound to help create better looks for Flagg, and if he can improve his 3-point shooting after shooting below 30 percent from long range during his first season, the Mavs are going to be in a great spot.

His defense was one of the best parts of his game as a rookie, as he is a menace off the ball. Flagg has a nose for the basketball, crashes the glass hard, creates deflections, and hustles. His defense laid a strong foundation for his game, and he is an elite playmaker on that end.

Mavs fans got to see this on display on Friday, as he blocked Thompson's shot on one end before throwing down an alley-oop slam on the other. His defense led to his offense, and this is exactly what Dusty May should want to see from his young star.

It's only one preseason game, but it didn't take long for Flagg to show how much his game grew over the offseason. He continues to look more comfortable when handling the ball, and if his mid-range scoring barrages become the norm, the rest of the league is in trouble.

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