Kyrie Irving quietly became Mavericks' dream Cooper Flagg co-star without playing

Without playing a single game this year, Kyrie Irving has been the co-star that Cooper Flagg desperately needed as he begins his NBA career for the Dallas Mavericks. Irving tore his ACL last March, and even though he was shut down for the rest of the 2025-26 season, he has been a huge help for Flagg.

For a Mavericks team still searching for their identity as they begin the Cooper Flagg era, this dynamic between their two stars is exactly what they need.

Kyrie Irving is already the leader Cooper Flagg needed

The Mavericks' season has not gone the way that anyone expected, and this has been especially tough on Flagg at times. Forty-six losses through 69 games haven't been easy for a teenage player who's been used to winning at the highest level for his entire life, but Irving has helped him get through all of this.

"He stepped in as a great vet for me and was there giving me guidance because there were definitely times where I was shaken up," Flagg said. "I'd never lost that much in my life. But just to hear him say that and tell me that I'm doing everything I need to be doing and just to stay with it and stay positive, it definitely helped me out a lot."

Kyrie Irving has lived through Cooper Flagg's rookie season before

Irving has been through the same situation that Flagg is going through, as he was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2011. The Cavs proceeded to win 21 games in Irving's rookie season, followed by 24 wins in his second season.

Cleveland was among the bottom teams in the Eastern Conference for Irving's early years in the NBA, but something flipped beginning in the 2014-15 season. The Cavaliers signed LeBron James, and he and Irving helped lead Cleveland to four straight NBA Finals appearances, winning their only title in 2016.

The toll that losing takes on a player is not easy, especially for someone as competitive as Flagg, but this season is bound to turn him into a monster. Dallas put all of their trust in him by trading Anthony Davis and sitting Irving for the rest of the year, and Flagg has been forced to go through some serious adversity.

This brutal season will turn Cooper Flagg into a monster

From suffering one of the most serious injuries of his young career to adapting to point guard despite being a wing, Flagg has already seen the many highs and lows of professional basketball. Jason Kidd has challenged him immensely this season, and Flagg has handled every challenge that has been thrown his way with open arms.

"I'd never been in a situation like that to be handling the ball, bringing it up every single time," Flagg said. "And I learned how tiring it can be. And I gained a lot of respect for point guards because those first couple games are probably the most tired I've ever been on a basketball court."

While Kidd's approach of playing Flagg at point guard didn't lead to wins, it led to him becoming more comfortable with the ball, better in the clutch, and more confident in himself in the open floor when the ball is in his hands. Flagg has turned into a menace when getting downhill, and his ball security and overall guard skills have been two of the biggest improvements from his rookie year.

None of this would've been possible without adversity, and it makes him who he is today.

"I've definitely learned a lot about losing," Flagg said. "I mean, you have to learn how to still take away the positives out of every situation, but when I'm not winning, I'm going to be upset. I'm going to be angry. I always want to win."

This season hasn't brought forth many wins for Flagg and the Mavericks, but as he said, the positives are still there. Averaging 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game isn't an easy task by any means, and with the help of Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg has turned a lost season for the Mavericks into one of the most influential years of his life.