Adjusting to life in the NBA has been a challenge for Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who is experiencing an unfamiliar feeling – losing.
The 18-year-old forward, who has been part of winning programs at every level of his basketball journey, admitted that Dallas’s early-season struggles have been tough to process.
“This is the most I’ve lost since, I think, ever,” Flagg said when asked about the Mavericks’ 2–6 start following Wednesday’s third straight loss.
Flagg’s statement highlights just how different the NBA environment can be for top draft picks joining rebuilding or struggling teams. Before arriving in Dallas, Flagg had rarely tasted defeat.
He led Nokomis Regional High School to a 24–1 record and a Maine state championship as a freshman, then guided Montverde Academy to an astonishing 56–3 mark over two seasons, including a perfect 33–0 campaign in 2023–24.
At Duke, his lone college season saw more of the same dominance – the Blue Devils lost only four games, advancing all the way to the Final Four.
Now, in his first NBA season, Flagg is learning the reality of professional basketball, where growing pains often accompany young stars on teams still finding their rhythm.
Despite the Mavericks’ rough start, the rookie has shown flashes of promise, and his competitiveness remains as strong as ever.
Cooper Flagg On Mavericks Struggles: This Is The Most I've Lost Since, I think, Ever https://t.co/ZbxobtGzyq
— RealGM (@RealGM) November 6, 2025
