Cooper Flagg is one of the best rookies this season as should be the case, considering he was the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Coming into the league, the Duke Blue Devils star was known to be an explosive forward. However, since his arrival in the league, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd opted for Flagg to run the point.
Cooper Flagg Opens Up About Playing Point Guard
Since then, Flagg has been the Mavs’ primary ball handler in the season-long absence of Kyrie Irving. Flagg recently opened up about his newfound respect for point guards ever since taking on the position.
Throughout the 56 games that Flagg has played so far in his rookie season, Kidd has primarily deployed him at point guard. Apparently, Kidd’s intention was to have Flagg get used to the pressure of being guarded for longer periods on the floor.
The Mavericks rookie is known to be an off-ball player who gets to his spots and explodes for a basket. However, with Irving not in the lineup due to injury, Kidd saw it as an opportunity to help speed up Flagg’s professional acclimation curve.
Now that he’s gained ample experience at the position, Flagg recently expressed his thoughts on the rigors of the position.
During his interview with NBA analyst Malika Andrews, the rookie admitted how difficult it is to be the team’s primary ball handler. He realized how tiring it could be bringing down the ball with the defense already covering you before crossing half-court.
Thanks to his experience playing at the point, he now has a huge amount of respect for point guards.
“I just learned a ton about the game,” Flagg said. “You know, I’d never been in a situation like that to be handling the ball, bringing it up every single time. And I learned how tiring it can be. And I gained a lot of respect for point guards because those first couple of games are probably the most tired I’ve ever been on a basketball court.”
Cooper Flagg on playing point guard to start his rookie season:
“I just learned a ton about the game. You know, I’d never been in a situation like that to be handling the ball, bringing it up every single time. And I learned how tiring it can be. And I gained a lot of respect… pic.twitter.com/2miopBcW5F
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 16, 2026
Looking at Flagg’s numbers, he’s been somewhat efficient playing at the point. He’s averaging 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game.
READ MORE: Cooper Flagg Credits Kyrie Irving’s Guidance for Getting Through Mavericks’ Losing Streak
While his numbers are certainly earning him serious Rookie of the Year consideration, his ability to create opportunities for himself and his teammates is still naturally a work in progress.
