When the Dallas Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft lottery and landed Cooper Flagg with the top pick, expectations were sky-high. Alongside established stars like Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and eventually Kyrie Irving, Flagg was projected to slowly blossom into a bona fide superstar. However, the reality has been quite different.
Instead of thriving, Flagg finds himself playing the wrong position, without a reliable supporting cast, and on a struggling team. The Mavericks have only started a true point guard, D’Angelo Russell, once this season—and that game resulted in an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Currently, Dallas sits in last place in the Western Conference, and things aren’t looking promising for the young star.
### Cooper Flagg Compared to Ben Simmons
Both Flagg and Ben Simmons share physical similarities: they look like jumbo wings who can handle the ball and are highly regarded for their defensive skills. That said, Flagg lacks the natural court vision Simmons possesses but has displayed no reluctance to score the basketball. Simmons’ offensive insecurities ultimately hampered his NBA career, and some experts fear Flagg might face similar challenges.
On his November 6th podcast, Draymond Green raised an important question:
> “If Ben Simmons were allowed to be a power forward that can handle the ball the way he handled the ball, does his career turn out differently than making him a point guard?”
Green continued:
> “So what I would just say about Cooper Flagg is you got to be careful with playing him at point guard. I understand the thinking behind it. But the last thing you want is him to lose his confidence trying to play point guard, because once you lose your confidence in this league, it’s nearly impossible to get it back.”
Unlike Simmons, Flagg thrives off the ball and can serve as a spot-up shooting threat when needed. While the two may look alike physically, once a game is underway, it’s clear that Flagg is a more complete and versatile player. Unfortunately, the Mavericks haven’t been putting him in the best position to succeed.
### Cooper Flagg Is Coming Up Short With the Mavericks
Is it Flagg’s fault that the Mavericks are struggling? Absolutely not. He isn’t responsible for play-calling or lineup decisions, nor is he the one dealing with injuries plaguing the team. However, it must be acknowledged that Flagg has not lived up to the enormous hype.
Though he has shown flashes of brilliance and still has immense potential, Flagg is far from the best rookie in his class by any measurement. Touted as a generational prospect and a surefire future star, he has already been surpassed by rookies who are just as young, raw, and inexperienced.
The coming months will be crucial for Cooper Flagg’s development and his ability to overcome these early career hurdles. For now, the Mavericks—and Flagg himself—face an uphill battle to turn things around.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/dallas-mavericks/cooper-flagg-ben-simmons-comparison-warriors/
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