‘Keep Shooting’: Daniel Gafford Send Strong Message to Cooper Flagg After San Antonio Spurs Loss

DALLAS — Cooper Flagg went 7-of-19 from the field and 0-of-3 from 3-point range in the Dallas Mavericks’ 112-111 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

He still finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. A day later, center Daniel Gafford told 105.3 The Fan’s K&C Masterpiece that he and the team’s veterans are making sure Flagg stays in good spirits.

Flagg was the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and is the reigning Rookie of the Year. Through 7 games this season, he is averaging 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists while shooting 46.8% from the field and 21.2% from 3-point range. Dallas is 4-4 in its first season under Mavericks coach Dusty May.

Daniel Gafford On Keeping Cooper Flagg In Good Spirits

P.J. Washington scored 21 points with 10 rebounds Wednesday, and his 3-pointer with 5:38 left put Dallas ahead 103-100. Washington and Caleb Martin both talk to Flagg a lot, Gafford said, and Gafford tries to as well.

“I try to talk to him,” Gafford said. “It’s a team sport like I said before, and it’s not all on everyone’s shoulders. Granted, he’s one of the heads of the snake when it comes to our team, so we got to make sure he’s in good spirit. So I’m gonna do whatever it takes, and all of my teammates are too. I know PJ talks to him a lot, Caleb talks to him a lot, so on and so forth.”

“It’s very contagious when it came like this because we all know that we have things to improve,” Gafford continued. “And this is something that Dusty kind of like really just implemented in general.”

Flagg missed 12 of his 19 shots, and 3 of his attempts were blocked. Washington talked to him during Wednesday’s game about the shots that were not falling, according to Gafford.

“So we all try to have that kind of same mindset. So we just push each other to be the best player we can be night to night,” Gafford explained. “PJ said last night, with the shots that Coop was taking, there was a lot of them that really didn’t fall. PJ said, ‘Keep shooting. We’re right there with you at the end of the day because you are one of the guys that are going to be there. You’re going to have to take those shots down the stretch.’”

“Just because of the caliber of player that you are,” Gafford added. “So it’s only right that we help him and force him to believe in himself. Because, I mean, yeah, he’s an incredibly talented player.”

Gafford Points To Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, And Caleb Martin

Kyrie Irving, who also played at Duke, led Dallas with 29 points Wednesday. Through 6 games, he is averaging 22.7 points and 4.8 assists.

Irving, Washington, and Martin are among the older players who understand the approach, in Gafford’s view, along with some of the team’s younger players.

“It takes a village at the end of the day,” Gafford said. “And Kai understands that. I feel like PJ understands that. Caleb understands it. All the older guys. And I feel like some of the younger guys understand it too just because of the teams that they have came from.”

“And we all just kind of like implement that into the game and try to help each other out night in, night out,” Gafford noted. “So, of course, yeah, we’re trying to make sure his head is held high. You go through these slumps time and time again. Like I said, I had a bad game. I don’t plan on having a crazy amount of bad games these next few games that we have. So it’s just we have a matter of a level that we have to stay locked into.”

Gafford finished with 2 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks on 1-of-6 shooting.

Washington played two seasons at Kentucky. Flagg played one season at Duke. Gafford spent two seasons at Arkansas, which beat Duke 76-72 in the 1994 national championship game. In huddles, Gafford has not heard much of a Kentucky-Duke debate between the two.

“Maybe. I’m going to say so,” Gafford said. “I haven’t heard too much of it, but I can sense it. I can sense it. But, to be honest, he’s an Arkansas guy now, man. We’re going to change him, so we really can’t say he has those anymore.”

Dallas (4-4) hosts the Utah Jazz in an NBA Cup group-stage game Friday at American Airlines Center, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT.