There’s a lot to digest when you think about the Dallas Mavericks. The elephant in the room is the “Fire Nico” chants, ones that now seem inevitable. We had initially thought the Mavs had moved on from a certain Slovenian, but here we are. Drafting Cooper Flagg has helped, yes. However, with him playing a different role, one that HC Jason Kidd views from a “marathon” perspective, everyone seems confused about what to really expect, barring one person.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was sure about what he saw tonight. The Greek Freak’s confidence also stems from the fact that his early mentor is now taking care of the Mavs’ next big thing. “High ceiling, great player, high IQ, can read plays, can get downhill, for his side to handle the ball and make plays for himself or for his teammates is incredible,” the Bucks ace said after narrowly winning 116-114 against the Mavs.

“Obviously has a great coach, that will give him the opportunity to have the ball in his hand because that’s very important in our league and um you know especially when you’re young, 19, 20, 18 years old to have a coach that’s able to trust you with the ball down the stretch or trust you with the ball throughout the game. It’s a plus. It’s a blessing,” the Greek Freak continued.

Last night was arguably Cooper Flagg’s best game of his short professional career. The Duke alum played a pivotal role in scoring 26 points while also recording nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block. And the rookie did it efficiently, going 9 of 15 from the field.

Even though there’s so much turmoil surrounding the Mavs, who’re now 3-8 to open the season, Flagg does instill a certain ‘feel good’ element when you watch him hoop. And Antetokounmpo was quick to point it out, even adding his prediction of the young gun.

“Kidd is okay. It was okay. That’s my guy. Helped me a lot. One of my mentors. Still talk to him until this day. Not just as a coach because obviously you have the players-coach relationship. But we had I think a deeper relationship than that,” he continued.

“It’s a blessing. You saw what he was able to do with Luka. You know, I think when Kidd take over the team, Luka game went to another level. I think it’s going to be the same with uh Cooper. Um, it was the same for me.” Giannis Antetokounmpo concluded.

Jason Kidd knows a thing or two about dealing with expectations that come with a lottery pick. In fact, we can draw a pattern with how the hoopster-turned-head coach entrusted a young Giannis Antetokounmpo with the ball in his hands as much as possible. Adjusting to a new coach was a task for sure, but Kidd’s plan worked, and the Greek Freak’s scoring nearly doubled in his second Bucks season. The averages only went upwards thereafter.

There’s a similar freedom-centric approach with Cooper Flagg as well. One that Luka Doncic had too. The 2025 NBA Draft’s No. 1 pick has a 2.3 turnover average. But Kidd’s not making a meal of it. He clarified that he doesn’t bother about the stat, as long as there’s a play being made for a teammate. He’s seeking a long-term plan here, reminiscent of what he did with Antetokounmpo.

They really do not envision losses becoming a major part of their learning curve. Why? Because they have reliable names on their roster. AD, Dereck Lively II, and Kyrie Irving will all return eventually, and then Flagg getting marked by the opposition’s best player or not will be the least of their worries.

‘Can Cooper Flagg replace Luka Doncic?’: A modern-day cliche that needs to stop

Cooper Flagg has an MVP ceiling. There’s no doubt about that. On the other hand, the Slovenian sensation never won one. We’re not here to criticize either. But for a fact, Jason Kidd couldn’t entrust Luka Doncic to guard the opposition’s best player. I agree, it’s a negative outlook. A positive aspect would be to describe the now-Lakers star as an attack-minded player. A POV that has usually surrounded his name.

With that same logic, however, Cooper Flagg possesses a balanced game. Is he of the “Luka Magic” standard that was nearly impossible for anybody to stop? No, but the Duke alum can score at all three levels. His shooting clip from only his college year was 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from deep. So, do not rule out the one-and-done athlete just yet, because his current box scores aren’t reflecting his actual value.

For now, the Mavs rookie is focused only on what he can control. He couldn’t care less about what the media expects of him. But staying healthy is something he will prioritize. Legend Dirk Nowitzki had earlier predicted that the Dallas side could sneak into the top 8 in the West, while OKC remains the favorite. “They have a great shot if they stay healthy,” he said.

Expect Jason Kidd and Co. to turn their season around eventually when their biggest names, such as Dereck Lively and AD, return. If Kyrie Irving, who is supposedly ahead of his recovery schedule, returns, well, nothing stops the Mavericks from waltzing back to winning ways.