"I don't think there has ever been someone that played this hard as him all the time" - Cooper Flagg reveals the one thing he admires most about Larry Bird originally appeared on Basketball Network .
The 2024–25 NBA season may be officially in the books, but the Association doesn't exactly believe in the concept of slowing down — not even for a moment. As summer temperatures start to rise, the offseason chatter is heating up just as fast, with trades already shaking the league landscape and teams eyeing the next big splash.
And while we've already seen some major roster shakeups, nothing draws more attention this time of year than a franchise standing on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick. Thanks to some improbable lottery luck, that honor now belongs to the Dallas Mavericks . And all signs point toward them selecting Cooper Flagg — the "can't miss" prospect that's been groomed for this moment since the moment he stepped onto the high school hardwood.
Flagg is as complete a prospect as we've seen in years, and yet, for all the hype around his physical gifts and two-way versatility, The Maine Event has made it a point to study the players who came before him, especially those who dominated the game without relying solely on athleticism.
Given his size, positional versatility, skill level and, let's be honest, his overall look, it was only a matter of time before the Larry Bird comparisons came flying in. But instead of running away from them, he embraced it and started watching tapes to see what greatness really looked like.
"I think the general answer would just be his grit and the way how hard he played," Flagg explained the most challenging part about studying Bird's game.
"I don't think there has ever been someone that played this hard as him all the time and just as good of a teammate as he was. So kinda that's somebody that I'm trying to emulate game after, playing every position a hundred percent and doing all the little things that it takes to win, " the Duke phenom added.
With Luka Doncic surprisingly traded to Los Angeles in a move that stunned the basketball world, the Mavericks are now entering a brand new era.
But they're not in the rebuilding phase — not with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving still under contract and leading a playoff-tested roster. Instead, Dallas is looking for a foundational piece who can complement those two vets while growing in the face of the franchise and maybe even the face of the entire league.
That's where Flagg fits in almost too perfectly.
There's always pressure when you're the first pick in the draft, but Flagg appears built for it — mentally and physically. And if Dallas ends up calling his name on draft night (which is almost as sure as 100%), scheduled for June 25 at 8 p.m. ET, he'll be stepping into a situation where he doesn't have to save the franchise overnight. He would just have to let his game come to him and build on that immense talent he undoubtedly possesses.
And if he keeps leaning into the mindset of a legend like Bird, the effort, the edge and the obsession with winning, then the Mavericks might not just be getting the best player in this class, but a cornerstone for years to come.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
