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2w ago

ESPN Ranks Mavs Rookie Cooper Flagg No. 52 Ahead of Training Camp

League evaluations back an immediate impact, with Dallas managing Kyrie Irving’s ACL absence.

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2025-26 Season Preview: Dallas Mavericks
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Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on during the first quarter of their game against the San Antonio Spurs at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Overview

  • ESPN’s NBA Rank placed Cooper Flagg at No. 52 for 2025-26, the only rookie in the top 100, as Jason Kidd plans to test him as a point forward.
  • An ESPN survey of 20 coaches, executives and scouts labeled Flagg the Rookie of the Year favorite with 19 votes and placed him second in projections for best American player in five years, with separate polling giving him 18 of 20 votes to be the top player from his class in five years.
  • Dallas expects Irving to miss the start of the season after last year’s torn ACL, elevating early playmaking needs that D’Angelo Russell and Flagg are positioned to handle.
  • Flagg’s recent outputs include 20.5 points across two Summer League games and a Duke season around 19 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists with strong defensive rates, bolstering expectations for immediate minutes.
  • Context around his fit remains under review as analysts note the veteran-heavy roster and questions about team identity that could influence his development.