MANILA — Former Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd named LeBron James as the career comparison for Cooper Flagg during an interview with ALL-STAR Magazine released Thursday.
Kidd coached Flagg for one season in Dallas. He also coached Luka Dončić for three and a half seasons before the February 2025 trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, and he worked with James as a Lakers assistant under Frank Vogel from 2019 to 2021.
Jason Kidd’s Comparison For Cooper Flagg
Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke. He won Rookie of the Year in April, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. He was the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984-85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Flagg edged former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of Charlotte for the award, and Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe was the other finalist.
Kidd’s reference point for Flagg’s temperament is the game-winner Flagg took and missed at Duke.
“I think he’s on pace when you talk about LeBron and what he did as a young player, and then also Cooper’s ability,” Kidd said. “He’s one that loves to win, wants to win, likes to work, is not afraid of the moment. We saw at Duke taking a game-winning shot and missing. He’s not afraid of the moment. So I would say he is on pace. I think that’s his comp.”
“Now, can he stay healthy like LeBron?” Kidd continued. “And then I think all greats are judged with championships. Not so much stats, but that’s the one stat that will stand out, and hopefully Cooper can achieve that.”
James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in July. He turns 42 on Dec. 30. Over 60 games with the Lakers last season, he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists.
Flagg turned 19 in December. He set a rookie scoring record with 49 points and became the first 18-year-old in league history to score 40 in a game.
Jason Kidd’s Final Season In Dallas
Dallas finished 26-56 last season and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Kidd went 205-205 across five seasons as coach, reaching the Western Conference finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024.
The Mavericks and Kidd mutually agreed to part ways on May 19, two weeks after Masai Ujiri was hired as president of basketball operations. Kidd had four years and more than $40 million left on his contract. Dallas hired Dusty May from Michigan in June, a day before the draft, after May won the national championship at 37-3.
Kidd was drafted No. 2 overall by Dallas in 1994 and won the franchise’s only championship as a player in 2011.
Dallas has continued to reshape the roster around Flagg this month. The Mavericks bought out Klay Thompson on Aug. 21, and he signed with the Miami Heat two days later. Tarik Biberović signed a two-year deal after arriving in the six-team trade that also brought Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser to Dallas. Kyrie Irving is working back from the ACL tear that cost him all of last season.
The Mavericks open training camp before Sept. 29 because of preseason games abroad.
