Remember when Jamal Mashburn suggested Cooper Flagg would be just the sixth-best prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft? Yeah, that take is already looking like a brick from three-point range.
Back in January, the former NBA forward made waves during a TNT Sports appearance, ranking Flagg behind five other prospects from the upcoming class. "I look at last year's No.1 pick in Cooper Flagg. If I was to put him on that list, he would be sixth," Mashburn said. "Behind all five of them, just from a skillset and elevation level of where they can get to…Cooper Flagg still has holes in his game."
Fast forward to now, and the 19-year-old Mavericks sensation is making Mashburn's words look like a blooper reel. Flagg is putting up 25.3 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game, silencing doubters and leading Dallas with a maturity beyond his years.
The Fans Are Not Letting This Go
The internet, as always, has been ruthless. One fan tweeted, "Thinking Cooper Flagg is 6th on that list is almost insanity. Fireable offense. I compared Cooper to KG and it's looking right. Obviously different players but the intensity and motor changes it all. Coop is special." Another chimed in, "I'm sorry but this is by far one of the worst takes i've seen in sports." A third asked, "Has he [Mashburn] been fired yet?"
While the backlash is fierce, Flagg's play on the court is the ultimate rebuttal. His two-way impact and leadership have drawn high praise from teammates, including Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Weighs In
"I would say this: I think Coop falls in line in terms of having that competitive nature at a very young age to be able to lead a team, to be able to be on a great team and be a complementary piece but also lead the team in statistical categories," Irving told ESPN. "I love that he's a two-way player. I love that he cares about using his voice as he's grown into Year 2. He's coming off Rookie of the Year, so there's a lot of pressure on him. I feel like I'm here to alleviate some of that pressure he feels."
The Mavericks are clearly building something special around Flagg, and the recent foul controversy involving him shows just how much attention he's drawing from opponents.
As for Mashburn, he might want to consider a change of strategy — perhaps sticking to analysis that ages better than milk left in the Texas sun.
The Mavericks return to action Monday against the Sacramento Kings, where Flagg will have another chance to prove his doubters wrong.
