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Kyrie Irving talks about Cooper Flagg's rise with the Dallas Mavericks: "He's chasing history"
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- Kyrie Irving talks about Cooper Flagg's rise with the Dallas Mavericks: "He's chasing history"
Kyrie Irving hasn't taken the court this season. He's been sidelined, rehabbing a torn ACL. It's certainly been a frustrating stretch for him and for the Dallas Mavericks . But there's arguably a bright spot.
That spot? Seeing his teammate play up close. Without that view, Irving might not have realized just how special one of them truly is. That player is none other than Cooper Flagg .
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Flagg has made that big of an impression. Irving, for his part, hasn't held back his praise.
On a recent livestream, he said the Rookie of the Year candidate is putting up numbers that match the greats. And if that isn't striking enough, " Uncle Drew " added it's just the beginning for someone he already calls an "amazing player."
Taking Dallas by storm
Flagg was the number one pick during the 2025 NBA Draft. Landed with a Dallas franchise fresh off having parted with Luka Doncic , their former cornerstone guy. Talk about pressure.
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The Duke Blue Devil product has held up, though — averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest. You also do that by becoming the youngest, besides LeBron James , to drop 35 in a game. Not to mention, once hitting 49 points. It's a Mavericks single-game rookie record, the highest ever by a sub-20 player in franchise history.
The league has noticed. Irving has too. He made that clear when asked about his rookie teammate on that livestream.
"At 19 years old, doing the things that he's doing within our league is very special," he said, adding, "He's doing things that some of the greats, even before him, didn't do. He's chasing history."
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In a way, Irving watching from the sidelines might've helped Flagg. At least in the long run. After all, it gave him shots at de facto point guard duty — Kai's usual spot.
"The Maine Event" took it. This season, he at times started the offense for the Mavericks , pushed early runs, and set the tempo. Some awkwardness came with it. Still, it's the best lesson for a young talent building into a true all-around weapon.
Related: Michael Jordan faces backlash over weird celebration with a child after Daytona 500 win
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Flagg is poised for moe
Irving's admiration runs deeper than the here and now. He actually sees Flagg as a cornerstone for Dallas' next era.
If things go according to plan, Kyrie himself might help kick that era off right. Head coach Jason Kidd's already spotting it. That seamless synergy.
"Kai is going to be a perfect fit with Cooper Flagg," Kidd said in November 2025. "He also creates space on the floor for Cooper, and vice versa… I think those two will be a perfect match in the backcourt."
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Irving is grinding his way back. Flagg, meanwhile, is already showing why the hype was real. He's taken on every challenge and delivered. That, "Uncle Drew" said, is what makes him proud of the versatile Mavs forward.
"He's taken on the responsibility of holding down the fort with our other teammates while I'm not playing or able to be on the court. And he's doing a great job. I think he needs a lot more of that push, especially from the media, because he's already doing stuff that hasn't been done, or he's doing things that have been done in a different way, where he's ending up in the historical record books, "the 2016 NBA champion remarked.
Kai won the Rookie of the Year award in 2012. Fourteen years later, Coop could take the same honor. And if he does, don't be surprised if it's just the start. Irving, for his part, expects plenty more awards down the line.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
