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The Dallas Mavericks have surprised many around the league by jumping out to a 4-2 record to begin the season. One of those two defeats occurred without the services of Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving; Flagg was sidelined with a shoulder injury, while the Mavericks opted to give Irving a night off on the second leg of a back-to-back.
At just 19 years old, Flagg's level of play has been remarkable. Across five appearances, he is posting 26.8 points, 6.6 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 2.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game while maintaining a 65.1% true shooting percentage. It's worth noting that he missed the entire second half of a game against the Indiana Pacers after absorbing a hard foul from Aaron Nesmith in transition. Had he played those minutes, his averages could plausibly be in the neighborhood of 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.
While it's prudent not to overreact to a six-game sample in an 82-game season, the temptation is understandable. Flagg already appears to be one of the top five players in the league, and both traditional and advanced statistics support that notion. He currently ranks seventh in points per game, fourth in steals per game, fourth in Player Efficiency Rating, tied for fifth in Win Shares, second in Box Plus/Minus, first in Defensive Box Plus/Minus, and third in Value Over Replacement Player.
When Flagg is on the floor, the Mavericks have outscored opponents by 10.4 points per 100 possessions, a raw plus/minus that leads the team. The next closest player, Walter Clayton Jr., sits at +7.2. Flagg has simply been in total command whenever he plays. Like any player, he still makes mistakes, but his ability to learn from them is rare for someone his age.
Media pundits are already making bold proclamations, suggesting Flagg is ahead of where LeBron James was at the same age, that he deserves MVP consideration, or that he is already a top-10 player in the NBA. If he sustains this level of performance and earns an All-NBA selection this season, he would join LeBron James among the youngest players ever to achieve that honor.
Key Analysis
At this point, one can reasonably argue that Flagg belongs in the same conversation as Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, and other superstars when it comes to their importance to their respective teams' success. Again, it's only six games into the season, and anything can happen, but the growth he has displayed as a scorer, passer, and overall playmaker is already extraordinary.
Injuries around the league could also pave the way for Flagg to secure an All-NBA spot, as players like Anthony Edwards, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, Paolo Banchero, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are all dealing with long-term injuries.