Cooper Flagg lived up to his star status at the NBA Games in China with a performance that lived up to the hype off the court, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. A picture of Flagg was posted on the side of buildings to promote the event, and he released his personal New Balance logo in a mall in Macau.
After the games began, Flagg reminded us why he is the reigning Rookie of the Year and could win more honors in his second NBA season. After playing a combined 45 minutes in two games, he had 33 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, three steals and two blocks. Windhorst notes that he aggressively looked for his shots and was able to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.
“He’s going to lead this franchise into the future. You can certainly count on that.” Kyrie Irving said. “He deserves a lot of the praise he’s gotten because he’s been through a lot. … He’s wise beyond his years.”
Flagg has already established himself as the Mavericks’ cornerstone for the future, even if he doesn’t turn 20 until December. After leading the team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals last season, Flagg feels more confident now that he has gotten to know the league.
“Last year I felt like I was going a little blind,” he said. “Obviously, I haven’t been through a lot of these experiences before. So I think what I’ve had this year helps a lot. Just feeling prepared, feeling ready. It’s a lot less to worry about.”
More on Mavericks:
- After returning to court On Sunday, for the first time in 19 months, Irving told reporters that he wasn’t thinking about when he might retire. Grant Offset of Dallas Hoops Magazine. “Since I’ve been in the league, I’ve learned a lot of lessons about my body, a lot of lessons about getting knocked down in the first place or where you’re at your peak and then going through some of those rehab sessions and just rebuilding who you are on the court.” Irving said. “And I’ve had, I don’t want to call it a luxury, but I’ve had the experience of just traumatic injuries and coming back, and I’m thankful that I’ve been able to draw on that experience. So I’m going to keep playing as long as I enjoy just being in the NBA, being in the camaraderie, being in the locker room.”
- Zachary Ryzaker had his second straight game on Sunday, scoring 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Offset adds a separate story. The former No. 1 pick has been making a strong impression since being acquired in a trade with Atlanta this summer. “We challenged Zach to just rebound better and he made a couple of offensive rebounds,” coach Dusty May said. “He’s got great instincts on the ball. So he’s really just learning to play against his teammates and then you throw PJ (Washington) you add in Kyrie and all those guys are still learning. There are some combinations that have never played together and we’re figuring it out as we go.”
- In history only for subscribers Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News looks at the economic benefits of the team’s trip to Macau and how that could eventually tie into the new Dallas facility.
