Cooper Flagg took a deep breath before he was introduced as the newest member of the Dallas Mavericks.
“Hello,” Flagg said in a gym inside the team’s practice facility, littered with his family, Mavericks employees, esteemed former players and reporters.
Perhaps a moment to catch his breath was necessary. After a frantic week that included several public appearances in New York City, media obligations and his official coronation as the No. 1 overall draft pick, Flagg arrived in Dallas on Friday morning. Not for a visit this time. This is his new home, and he hitched a ride from the Big Apple on the private jet belonging to Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont.
Dressed slightly less formally than draft night, Flagg appeared at the team’s practice facility in a navy blue suit with a white T-shirt. His maturity, personality and obsessive desire for the game of basketball were all on display during his introductory news conference.
Almost immediately, Flagg was asked how he feels about the responsibility of joining the lineage of previous Mavericks superstars. Dirk Nowitzki. Luka Doncic. Even Mark Aguirre, the Mavericks’ only previous No. 1 pick, who sat in the second row behind Flagg’s family.
“I’m coming in just trying to learn and trying to get better every single day,” Flagg said. “If I can do that to the best of my ability, I think expectations and pressures that other people will put on me and our team, that will kind of work itself out. I’m just trying to come in and be the best that I can be and just win at the highest level.”
Flagg was sandwiched between his new head coach, Jason Kidd, and general manager Nico Harrison. Both praised his two-way versatility and ability to play more than one position. Flagg, a 6-8 forward, was asked what position he believes he can play in the NBA, but didn’t commit to being boxed into just one spot.
“It’s a versatile position, doing a lot of different things,” Flagg said. “Looking at the roster, we can play a really good brand of positionless basketball.”
Kidd said he thought Flagg answered the question perfectly, but took it a step further and confirmed he believes the 18-year-old will be able to play one of the most important positions on the floor.
“I don’t look at the position,” Kidd said. “I want to put him at the point guard. I want to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts.”
That plan will be put to the test in less than two weeks when the Mavericks open their Las Vegas Summer League slate against the Los Angeles Lakers. Flagg wasn’t sure about his summer league plan, otherwise known as how many games he will be active for, but said he does plan to play. When he does, there’s a good chance he’ll get reps at point guard.
“I’m excited about giving him the ball against the Lakers and seeing what happens,” Kidd said. “Let’s get it started, right off the bat.”
The Mavericks’ full summer league schedule was released Friday. The package includes matchups against the Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers.
When free agency opens Monday evening, every indication is that the Mavericks plan to target a point guard who can fill some of the void left by Kyrie Irving’s expected absence for the start of next season. Multiple players will share the task of initiating the offense, but Kidd’s comments confirm Flagg will be one of them.
The rookie’s support system sat in the front row to hear him speak Friday. His parents, Kelly and Ralph Flagg. His twin brother, Ace. His agent, Austin Brown. His longtime trainer, Matt MacKenzie, who saw Flagg’s development from a preteen to the consensus top pick.
Shortly after Dallas landed the No. 1 pick in May, a video of a 13-year-old Flagg working out in a Mavericks shirt surfaced. Flagg grew up a Boston Celtics fan. His favorite player of all time is Larry Bird, so the occurrence was more of a coincidence than a manifestation.
“I had a really good friend who was a diehard Mavericks fan, and he was a little older than me so he had outgrown some of his clothes,” Flagg said. “He lent them down to me and at the time, you’re just wearing what you can. I love basketball so I just put it on and went in for my workout.”
Flagg standing in front of a backdrop with the team’s logo scattered everywhere while holding a Mavericks jersey was, in a way, poetic. He didn’t intentionally wear the Mavericks shirt during a workout as a teenager, with hopes that he’d ultimately play for the franchise.
At the same time, the Mavericks didn’t go into last month’s lottery expecting to receive the No. 1 pick and the opportunity to find the next face of the franchise, months after trading away the former one.
The irony is profound.
“When I first watched him play, my first impressions were, ‘Wow, it would be great to have the No. 1 pick,” Harrison said. “It was more of a dream.”
What once felt like an unachievable dream is now reality.
X/Twitter: @MikeACurtis2
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