There's this somewhat unique arrangementCooper Flagghas worked out with theDallas Mavericks, but – to properly understand it – we first have to go back.
Back to Bangor, Maine. Back to 2019, when Flagg was in the sixth grade.
His parents had been looking for someone to guide Flagg, who was then 12, as a basketball player. Always the standout, he was already drawing interest from national programs, so the objective was simple: to maximize his potential in a state relatively devoid of elite basketball talent.
And so, the Flaggs found this coach named Matt MacKenzie and walked into his gym, though gym, frankly, is doing a lot of work.
Something between a garage and warehouse with tile floors and a hoop, it's where MacKenzie soon realized he'd have to invent drills – think micro shot clocks and one-on-one games where Flagg was restricted to a single dribble – to match his unicorn intensity.
Fairly reserved in public, Flagg is notoriously deliberate in trusting people. The family also keeps its inner circle tight. So when they saw the work MacKenzie was putting in, the Flaggs gradually sought his counsel and brought him into their support group for Flagg.
"We've just developed a very special bond that goes beyond basketball," MacKenzie recently told USA TODAY Sports.
Even now, that hasn't changed.
In fact, the Mavericks (15-25) have empowered Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick and youngest player in the NBA, to assume total ownership of his rookie season. From granting MacKenzie extensive access, to implementing cold tubs andNormatec compression bootsthat increase blood circulation, to meeting precise dietary and hydration needs, Dallas is allowing Flagg and his inner circle to dictate the terms of his development.
See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie ... so far
Unique relationship spurs development
The biggest element in that is MacKenzie, who now works for Flagg as a player development coach and advisor. Not only does the arrangement have the team's full blessing, MacKenzie said he acts as "an extension of the Mavericks coaching staff," and called the partnership "collaborative."
He splits time between Maine and Dallas, flying in for most home games, where he sits a few rows behind the bench.
On any given game night, MacKenzie will show up to the arena before shootaround. He'll observe Flagg's mechanics and will connect briefly with Mavericks coaches to discuss film they had reviewed with Flagg. Then, MacKenzie may meet with Flagg to discuss any refinements.
On off days, they may spend time in the gym for tune-up work.
"This way, I can be another voice to complement what they're looking for," MacKenzie said. "I'm not somebody who's going to work against them, I'm working with them. Just offering him a perspective, being in his ear if he has things he wants to talk about. If he wants somebody to lean on who will tell him the truth, he can come to me."
On occasion, to help him navigate the nuances of being on the road, MacKenzie may even travel with Flagg, who turned 19 on Dec. 21. MacKenzie, after all, has known Flagg more than a third of his life, so he also acts as a trusted confidant off the court.
"Matt's impact on me has been incredible,"Flagg wrote in a testimonial on MacKenzie's website. "I wouldn't be the player I am without him."
This is somewhat atypical in the NBA, even for star players, though not necessarily unheard of. It's an arrangement that can carry some risk; if any secrecy or communication issues emerge, that can breed resentment or erode trust.
Ironically, Dallas had reportedly developed an issue over a comparable arrangement with its previous star.According to ESPN, the Mavericks bristled when Luka Dončić brought a team of health and performance staffers on his own expense to handle the majority of his treatment after the team fired former trainer Casey Smith in August 2023.
It's important to note that this came under former general managerNico Harrison,whom the Mavericks fired Nov. 11, and that Dončić's team reportedly disagreed about several decisions on Dončić's health.
For an arrangement like this to succeed, all parties must be engaged, involved and invested in the same outcome, even if that means deferring.
"A lot of times, I'll just stay out of the way," MacKenzie added. "But Cooper knows that I'm within earshot. I can be there in just a minute if he needs me."
So far, it's hard to argue with the results.
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'Perfect guy' for where the NBA is going
Through 39 games, Flagg is tied with former Duke teammateKon Knueppelof theCharlotte Hornetsfor most points per game among rookies (19.1); Flagg is also averaging 6.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.
Flagg excels most in transition, where he can scoop rebounds and get into space, but he's supremely versatile. He also backs players down in the post just as easily as he laces mid-range jumpers.
"Cooper is the perfect example of: he can play any position, he can guard any position," Mavericks icon and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki told USA TODAY Sports. "You can never have enough 6-9 guys who can bring the ball up, put the offense in motion, get downhill at any time, spot up and shoot. He can set the pick-and-roll, but he can also run the pick-and-roll.
"Honestly, he's a perfect guy for where this game is going. The scary thing to me is that the kid is only 19."
Even scarier for the rest of the league is that Flagg is finding his rhythm, and it seemingly started with a challenge.
Before a Nov. 29 game at theLos Angeles Clippers, MacKenzie was on site and met with Flagg after shootaround. Echoing feedback he had heard from Mavericks coaches, MacKenzie thought Flagg had been too passive on offense, so he challenged Flagg to take at least 16 shot attempts.
Flagg finished that game,a 114-110 Dallas win, with 35 points on 22 attempts, 16 of which came before halftime. All were career highs.
"After the game he joked, he said, 'All right, what's my goal tomorrow?' " MacKenzie recalled. "Good things happen when he's assertive. Once in a while, he may turn the ball over, he may miss a shot, he may make a mistake. It's a process, and he's only a rookie.
"This is going to be a marathon. The more he's willing to step out there, the more he's willing to make mistakes, the better he's going to be."
Since then, Flagg has averaged 22.4 points on 16.8 attempts over 20 games. By comparison, he had averaged 15.7 points on 13.5 shots through the season's first 19 games.
Signs of steady growth
Early this season, when Flagg was still 18, coach Jason Kidd started him several games at point guard. It was a test.
Though Flagg has now settled at wing, the Mavericks are encouraging him to discover his limitations, to embrace them, practically endorsing failure ... in small doses.
"We don't want any bad habits, but we want him to understand that there's going to be mistakes – we all make them – turnovers, fouls, missed defensive assignments," Kidd told USA TODAY Sports recently. "But we want him to learn from them. I think for someone who could be in his freshman year at college, he plays the game the right way and understands what his capabilities are here in the first couple of months. As time goes on, he's only going to get better."
That has been evident, even this early, and even in the face of debilitating injuries to star teammates Kyrie Irving (torn anterior cruciate ligament) andAnthony Davis(calf, groin, hand).
Without those two, opposing defenses target Flagg as the primary threat. Despite that, he has found different ways to impact winning. From handling the ball in the clutch, to crashing boards deep in games, to picking up primary defensive assignments, he's taking on more and more with each passing week:
In a Nov. 24 loss against the Heat, Flagg stole an inbounds pass in the final seconds, giving the Mavericks the chance to tie or win the game.
In a Dec. 18 overtime win over the Pistons, he overcame a tough shooting night (8-of-20) to flush a pullup jumper that gave Dallas a one-point lead with 19.4 seconds remaining.
In a one-point victory Dec. 23 over the Nuggets, he dropped 33 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
"He's growing up faster than people think,"Heat center Bam Adebayo said. "By the end of the season, I feel like he's going to be one of them ones that's hard to guard cause he's going through those moments now early in the season."
Now, Flagg is the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year. In the latest All-Star Game fan vote total, he ranked 16th, giving him the chance to break Kobe Bryant's record as the youngest All-Star in history (19 years, 169 days).
Flagg is succeeding, failing, adapting, growing. And he's leaning on those who helped him get here.
"I just try to keep my people close to me," Flagg said recently. "My family and support, obviously, but I think the other part is being optimistic. It's a long season. We've had a lot of guys step up through a lot of injuries, and there have been a lot of positives we've been able to take from some of these games."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Cooper Flagg NBA ascent with Mavericks boosted by unique arrangement
