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“Not if I’m guarding you” - Larry Bird gave Cooper Flagg a reality check during their first meeting
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- “Not if I’m guarding you” - Larry Bird gave Cooper Flagg a reality check during their first meeting
Larry Bird set the blueprint for generations of NBA players who followed him, building a career defined by relentless competitiveness, elite skill and success.
Decades later, his legacy continues to inspire young stars entering the league. One of them is Cooper Flagg , a lifelong Boston Celtics fan who grew up fascinated by the history of the game and the legends who shaped it, even though he was born 14 years after Bird retired.
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The Dallas Mavericks rookie recently got the chance to shoot a commercial with one of his idols. In a playful back-and-forth, Flagg pokes fun at Bird's legendary career while showing how the "Chime" banking app can help fans "score" smarter with their finances.
During the shoot, Flagg asked the three-time NBA champion for his opinion on whether he could ever score 70 points in an NBA game and Bird responded in a way only he could.
"Not if I'm guarding you," Bird jokingly said.
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Cooper already showed glimpses of his incredible potential
It was a lighthearted moment between a player from the NBA's past and one from its future, perfectly illustrating how the game continues to evolve and how Bird left it in good hands, motivating the next generation to reach his heights.
As for Flagg, he's having a challenging rookie season with the Mavs, who are far from the playoffs. The Rookie of the Year award, which many expected was a lock for him ahead of the season, might slip away after some phenomenal performances from his former teammate, Kon Knueppel .
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Still, this is just the beginning of Flagg's journey toward NBA stardom. His performances so far suggest he could achieve everything predicted for him back in college. He recently scored 49 points against the Charlotte Hornets and currently leads his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals, a feat no rookie has accomplished since Michael Jordan.
Even if he misses out on the ROY award, a milestone that can provide motivation and recognition — Flagg's career will ultimately be measured by the number of championships he can win, a standard Kyrie Irving has commented on regarding his rise .
"At 19 years old, doing the things that he's doing within our league is very special," Irving 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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Related: Why Kon Knueppel will be the Rookie of the Year over Cooper Flagg
Flagg has the potential to even surpass Bird's greatness
The Maine native caught the basketball bug watching the Celtics' success. While he may not achieve all the legendary milestones Bird did in Boston, he clearly has the potential to accomplish remarkable things in the Mavericks uniform.
There's no doubt that after filming this commercial, the 6'9" forward picked up a tip or two about what it takes to reach NBA immortality from Bird himself. One day, when his career is over, it wouldn't be surprising if Flagg names Bird as the greatest white player of all time, as the potential is definitely there.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Mar 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
