"After that second year, no more excuses" - Shaquille O'Neal has an advice for Cooper Flagg if he ends up getting drafted by the Mavericks originally appeared on Basketball Network .
The 2025 NBA Draft is just around the corner, taking place this Thursday at the Barclays Center, and all attention is on Duke forward Cooper Flagg . Widely regarded as the best prospect in his class, Flagg is the favorite among fans and analysts to be the Dallas Mavericks ' number-one pick.
Shaquille O'Neal , the legendary NBA big man who knows what it is like to play in Texas, having played his high school basketball in San Antonio , remarked how playing in Dallas would benefit Flagg. He said he'll have a long leash at first before fans expect more out of him after his second season in the league.
Unlike most top picks, Cooper will not be expected to come in and immediately turn the Mavericks into a title contender. Instead, he'll have the luxury of developing under the guidance of established veterans like Anthony Davis , Kyrie Irving , Klay Thompson , and P.J. Washington . This will allow him to learn the NBA game at his own pace and develop his skills without the pressure of trying to do it all to elevate the Mavs.
Shaq says Cooper has a luxury most top picks never had: time.
"Just take your time," Diesel said when asked what advice he would give to the highly touted player from Newport, Maine.
"You know, good thing about NBA and our culture and Texas culture, they going to give you room to breathe. First year, we wanna see what you do. Now if you show us you can do some, that second year, we're gonna be expecting some. After that second year, no more excuses," Shaq established.
The Mavs organization and its fans have endured a challenging period over the last few months following the trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers . The arrival of Flagg, though, has brought much-needed excitement and hope for the future. However, as patient as the fan base will be with the prized rookie, Dallas is hoping he can contribute in their bid to return to elite status in the West.
"We going need you to step it up, but he comes from a great family background. He's a fine player. The Mavs have always been an excellent first-class organization," O'Neal said. "They're gonna treat him well. They're gonna teach them the things you need to know. I look forward to watching them play."
Shaq joined the NBA in 1992 and hit the ground running, winning Rookie of the Year honors and blazing a path across the league for the next two decades. Now retired and enjoying life as a popular broadcaster and a successful businessman, he shared some pearls of wisdom for Flagg to hopefully take to heart.
One of Shaq's main pieces of advice was the importance of listening to the right people, which means people with Cooper's best interests at heart.
"You have to listen to the important people," Shaq conveyed. "First of all, listen to your parents, to the GM, listen to the trainer, and listen to the coach. And then, whoever you pick as your friend on the team or vet, listen to him."
"You start going off doing your own thing because you made it and you got your money now, things can go like they're not supposed to go. So if you just listen, think my greatest attribute as a rookie was always listened," he continued.
Flagg will wear a Mavericks cap on Thursday if everything goes as expected. And with the ideal situation he'll be going to, he is likely to flourish under the guidance of a strong and supportive team.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
