Kevin Durant drops legendary Cooper Flagg prediction Mavericks fans will love

Dallas Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg hasn't had as electric a start to his NBA career as many fans anticipated, but that doesn't mean that he isn't in a great position to dominate the league for years to come. After Dallas' loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday night, Kevin Durant spoke to Dallas Hoops Journal, giving Flagg some praise that will silence any worries that Mavericks fans may have about Flagg's development a few weeks into his NBA journey.

"I think that he’s going to be a (expletive) of a player," Durant said. "I think that he’s going to be such a nightmare… that… he’ll be considered one of the best of all time."

After just seven games in the NBA for Flagg, Durant, one of the greatest scorers to ever play the game, believes that he'll be one of the best players ever, and this is just the start for Flagg. He has been one of the most hyped players that this league has seen in some time, and even though the numbers may not be as spectacular as some of his fellow rookies, all of the signs are there that he will be a star.

Kevin Durant sees Cooper Flagg as a future NBA legend

Over seven games, Flagg is averaging 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, and we have seen flashes that exemplify why Durant's prediction could come true one day. While Flagg has had an up-and-down start to his young NBA career, the foundation is there for him to be an all-time great.

His defense is already elite, his playmaking is growing, and his off-the-dribble scoring seems to improve every single game. When Flagg is playing with confidence, he is extremely difficult to stop, and he's only going to get better as the season goes on and he gets older.

He is one of three 18-year-olds in the NBA right now, with Joan Beringer and Noa Essengue being the other two. Both Beringer and Essengue have been non-factors over the first few weeks of the season, and on the other hand, Flagg has been one of the Mavericks' most impactful players despite injuries happening to seemingly the entire frontcourt around him.

Even Flagg has dealt with an injury already this season, as he hurt his left shoulder against the Oklahoma City Thunder last week, and he has seemed to have some noticeable discomfort in it since that game. Regardless of this, he has played through it, and there is plenty to be excited about when it comes to his game.

The growing pains were always going to happen, as Jason Kidd and the Mavericks are putting him in an extremely tough spot by making him the starting point guard. Flagg is best utilized off the ball at this point, especially when the Mavericks have a point guard on the floor that can create for him, and he should get better acclimated to the NBA and his role as time goes on.

It doesn't help that Dallas doesn't have a consistent point guard to run the show and feed him open looks, and this deficiency may continue until Irving returns. Kidd seems set on trial by fire for Flagg, and although he is playing out of position, he is still drawing eyes from across the league, even from a legend like Durant.

While there is reason for fans to worry about Dallas as a whole, Flagg should be at the end of their list of worries. He still has plenty of time to get into a groove, and if he keeps improving and putting in hours of hard work, the sky is the limit.