Dallas Mavericks veteran Klay Thompson offered valuable advice to rookie forward Cooper Flagg, telling ESPN that the 18-year-old should approach his first NBA season without pressure.
As reported by Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Thompson emphasized that top picks often face heavy expectations early in their careers, but the Mavericks want to keep things different for Flagg. “Usually with a lot of No. 1 picks, you go and you got to save a franchise,” Thompson told ESPN. “I just told him, ‘Your rookie year is like a free shot. You don’t need to have any expectations.’”
Flagg, the top overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has started all five games for Dallas and is averaging 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 41 percent from the field. He has shown strong poise early in his career, posting a double-double against Indiana with 15 points and 10 rebounds in a 107–105 win.
Anthony Davis, who joined the Mavericks in the Luka Doncic trade in February, echoed Thompson’s sentiment. The 10-time All-Star told ESPN that it’s his responsibility, along with head coach Jason Kidd and Kyrie Irving, to manage the external pressure on the rookie. “We want him to be confident but don’t worry about the pressure,” Davis said. “I’ll handle the pressure. J. Kidd will handle the pressure. When Kyrie comes back, he’ll handle the pressure.”
The Mavericks have started the 2025–26 season at 2–3, leaning on Davis, P.J. Washington, and D’Angelo Russell while allowing Flagg to develop alongside them. Davis leads the team with 20.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, while Flagg’s all-around contributions have added balance to the frontcourt.
Dallas’ approach reflects a deliberate plan to develop Flagg over time rather than thrust him into a savior role. “He’s going to be great, but we want him to develop. We don’t want to rush him or anything,” Davis told ESPN. “But also he knows he wants to win, and we know we want to win.”
