After his stellar first year, Cooper Flagg has already established himself as the face of the Dallas Mavericks’ future. He exceeded the lofty expectations that came with being the top pick, gradually winning over a fanbase still reeling from Luka Doncic’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In other words, the franchise has found a new cornerstone to build its long-term goals around. The task becomes much easier knowing Flagg himself hopes to spend his entire career in Dallas. In December, he pledged his lifelong loyalty to the Mavericks, hoping that this would be the only city he would ever represent.
Advertisement
During a recent appearance on “Dude Perfect,” Flagg was asked whether that was still his goal after completing his first year – and he made it clear that nothing had changed. He wants to follow the footsteps of the great Dirk Nowitzki.
“100%. Yeah, I think I would. There’s nothing I’d want more than that,” Flagg admitted. “I mean, you look at someone like Dirk, obviously. His legacy, there’s nothing that touches that.”
Flagg’s “ultimate goal”
Nowitzki is arguably the greatest Maverick of all time.
Advertisement
Throughout his 21-year stint with the team, the German star won a championship, along with a Finals MVP, earned 14 All-Star selections and 12 All-NBA Team nods, solidifying his place among the NBA’s all-time greats. Standing at 7’0″, he revolutionized the power forward with his shooting and became one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
However, beyond the accolades, what stood out during Dirk’s tenure was the bond he built with the Dallas fanbase – one that has endured well into his retirement. Even now, whenever he returns to American Airlines Center, he is greeted by the same thunderous cheers he received back when he was still a player.
Flagg knows he still has a long way to go to reach that same kind of love, but that is his “ultimate goal,” even as he understands the business side of the league.
Advertisement
“To be that loved by a city, to have that much love and support from one place, I don’t think you could dream for anything else but that,” he explained. “But like we were just talking about, it’s a business at the end of the day, and a lot of it’s not going to be my decision.”
Related: Vlade Divac reveals why groupies never became a problem for him in Los Angeles: “I was smart”
The Mavericks want to turn Flagg into a King
At 19 years old, Flagg posted 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists to earn himself the top rookie award. Although the numbers did not exactly translate to wins, his first year was crucial to his development as both a two-way player and playmaker, with former head coach Jason Kidd’s decision to deploy him at the point accelerating his growth as a facilitator.
Advertisement
And all of that was enough to convince new Mavericks president Masai Ujiri that the organization’s next mission is to turn the Maine native from a “little prince” into a “king.”
“In Africa, we say when kings go, kings come. And a king went, and we have a little prince here. Now we’re going to turn him into a king,” Ujiri said. “I think we have to start thinking that way… But I hope we can figure out how we reset as an organization with the fans. There’s no other way to do this than winning.”
After finishing last season with a 26-57 record, the Mavericks will enter the upcoming campaign with renewed hope and optimism. Much of that stems from Flagg’s emergence. However, Dallas will also welcome back Kyrie Irving from a torn ACL while ushering in a new era under head coach Dusty May, who is coming off a national championship with the Michigan Wolverines.
Advertisement
Related: “This is where the game’s going” – Kevin Love on why his father pushed him to copy Dirk Nowitzki
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jun 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.