Cooper Flagg targets crucial fix to become an unstoppable scorer

Last season, Cooper Flagg's Achilles heel was his 3-point shooting. The young rookie still averaged 21.0 points per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field en route to winning Rookie of the Year, a testament to how advanced his offensive game already is. However, his shooting was a major weakness.

Flagg shot 29.5 percent from three on 3.5 attempts per game, worse than any other Maverick on the 15-man roster who shot at least 3.0 threes per game. He struggled to cash in on open looks, and most of his buckets came in the paint. His offensive game was heavily dependent on his finishing around the rim, but he's looking to change that this offseason.

Cooper Flagg is working to improve his 3-point shooting

Flagg listed three things he's been working on most in a recent interview with the NBA, and shooting was one of those things. This is great news as the Mavericks look to have a bounce-back season after dropping 56 games last season, and Flagg improving as a shooter would make him even more unstoppable.

Even with Dallas not having the best supporting cast last season, Flagg was dominant. He was able to get to the rim whenever he wanted, his mid-range jumper was coming along by the time the season ended, and his passing was excellent, but his shooting was far worse than it had been during his lone season at Duke.

Flagg shot 38.5 percent from three as a Blue Devil, but he failed to carry over this success into the NBA. One of the most intriguing parts about his college game was nowhere to be found in the pros, and him taking a major step in this area would be game-changing.

Why Flagg must add a 3-point jumper to his arsenal

Defenses would be forced to respect him much more when he catches the ball on the perimeter, allowing him to get to the paint even more and attack closeouts. Flagg's quickness and athleticism allow him to blow by slower defenders, and him becoming a respectable shooter would open up the game for him and his teammates.

While more chances inside are always a positive for a slasher like Flagg, an improved jumper would help him grow into a three-level scorer one day. His mid-range jumper off the bounce already looks promising, and a consistent 3-point shot would give him a balanced offensive game that defenses would have no answer for.

If defenders close out too hard on Flagg, he would have an easy driving lane to the paint. If they give him too much space, he would make them pay by knocking down the open shot.

Adding a 3-point jumper is easily the most crucial next step in his development, and fans should be confident that it will happen eventually. He is known as an extremely hard worker, and he's going to do whatever it takes to become the most well-rounded player he can be.

Flagg is dedicated to improving his craft, and if he becomes a knockdown shooter, he's going to be unstoppable.

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