DALLAS — Cooper Flagg said Friday that he is confident his 3-point shooting will be a lot higher in his second season, after indecision and a lack of confidence dragged it down as a rookie. The Dallas Mavericks forward spoke at the team’s media day at American Airlines Center, the day before training camp opens.
Flagg shot 29.5% from 3-point range last season after hitting 38.5% in his lone season at Duke. He shot 46.8% from the field as a rookie and averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 70 starts on his way to Rookie of the Year.
Flagg pointed to the longer NBA line and the faster pace, but he put most of it on himself. He described being indecisive for much of the season and passing up shots he normally takes, and he said preparation, confidence, and mindset were his summer focus.
“I’m not sure exactly,” Flagg said. “Obviously there’s a lot of different factors when going from the college line to the NBA line. It’s a little farther back, the game’s a different pace, but I just felt like I was indecisive, I think, a lot of the year. And I wasn’t confident shooting shots that I normally should. So I think a lot of it comes out of my preparation, which I’ve worked a lot on this offseason, the preparation, the confidence, and the mindset.”
“And I think when those three things align for me and I’m prepared, I’m ready to shoot, I’m confident just shooting my shots, that I’m gonna be a lot higher percentage,” Flagg continued. “So it’s something I worked a lot on and I’m confident going into this year.”
Cooper Flagg On The Confidence In His Game
Flagg has worked on a lot of different mechanics this offseason while trying to keep things simple, he explained. He described confidence in his handle, his shot, and his finishing, and he wants to carry that aggressive mindset into the start of the season.
“Yeah, I don’t know how to gauge how much farther along I am, but I just feel really confident,” Flagg said. “I’ve been working on a lot of different things, a lot of different mechanics, but just keeping it simple at the same time. So I just have a lot of confidence right now in everything, my handle, my shot, my finishing. So just taking that confidence from the summer into the season and staying in that confident, aggressive mind frame is gonna help me to get off to a good start.”
New Mavericks coach Dusty May wants the team to play fast, and he pointed to Flagg’s intelligence and work ethic as the traits that typically lead to a rapid rise. May also noted that Flagg saw different defenses as a rookie as the focal point of a 26-56 team.
“I’m amazed when you look at how productive he is as a 19-year-old in this league with the weight that was put on him last year, seeing different defenses and being a focal point,” May said. “We’re excited to help him on his journey and grow at whatever rate he grows at. He puts in the work. He’s very intelligent. He’s a great teammate. And all those things typically lead towards a rapid ascension to being one of the best players.”
Kyrie Irving’s Return And Cooper Flagg’s Shot
Kyrie Irving returns after tearing the ACL in his left knee March 3, 2025, and said Friday he has no restrictions. Irving averaged 24.7 points in 50 games that season and shot 40.1% from 3-point range, and he said fans will see some of his possessions with Flagg in Macao.
Flagg said Irving makes it easy to play alongside him, and he credited their summer workouts together for building a connection. The two have never shared the floor in a regular-season game.
“Ky’s one of those guys, playing alongside him, I feel like he just makes it easy to play with him,” Flagg said. “Obviously, he’s one of the greats of our game and he’s an incredible talent. But I think that combined with his personality makes it really easy to fit next to and play with. And I think the time that we’ve been able to spend in the summer on the court together has been really good for both of us to kind of build that connection.”
Dallas plays the Houston Rockets at The Venetian Arena in Macao on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11. The regular season opens Oct. 21 at Houston, with tip-off at 7:30 p.m. CT.
