Mark Cuban didn’t mince words when asked about Cooper Flagg’s rookie season, especially when the conversation turned to comparisons with LeBron James.
Flagg is learning quickly how big the jump is from college basketball to the NBA, and his start with the Dallas Mavericks has been a rocky one.
He was handed a tough role right away. Head coach Jason Kidd made him the team’s starting point guard, adding even more pressure to an already challenging situation for the rookie out of Duke.
Last week was particularly rough for Flagg. He managed just two points and didn’t record a single assist, which is especially notable given his responsibilities as the team’s primary ball-handler.
Still, there have been flashes of promise. And after seeing a graphic comparing his rookie numbers to those of LeBron James, Mavs minority owner Mark Cuban shared an interesting perspective.
Mark Cuban backs Cooper Flagg with bold comparison to LeBron James
Mark Cuban didn’t hesitate to back Cooper Flagg after a graphic surfaced comparing the rookie’s opening NBA games to LeBron James’ start.
The early numbers haven’t been kind to Flagg in terms of win-loss record, but statistically, he’s not far off from where LeBron was at the same age. In fact, Cuban took the opportunity to publicly call Flagg “the real deal.”
“No question. Cooper Flagg is the real deal,” Cuban posted.
So far this season, Flagg has tallied 83 points, 39 rebounds and 18 assists through six games. At the same stage of his career and also aged 18, LeBron posted 101 points, 46 rebounds and 42 assists.
Why Cooper Flagg’s rookie of the year hopes aren’t a lock
Coming into the league, there was a lot of talk about Cooper Flagg running away with Rookie of the Year honours, but the season’s early games have already changed that narrative.
VJ Edgecombe wasted no time making his case on opening night, quickly showing that Flagg wouldn’t have it all his own way.
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Even Draymond Green has thrown his support behind Edgecombe in the early going. The fact that opinion has shifted so quickly speaks to how high expectations were for Flagg heading into the year.
If he’s going to get back into the conversation, he’ll need to put together more consistent performances and avoid games like his 2-point outing last week.
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