NBA insiders project Cooper Flagg to make All-Star team in shockingly quick time

Cooper Flagg, a forward for the Dallas Mavericks, has excellent collegiate talent and is anticipated to make a significant contribution in the NBA. Flagg hasn’t played a single game at the professional level, but experts believe he could soon become the face of the Mavericks.

Flagg was chosen as the No. 1 pick by the Dallas franchise because of the potential he’s shown while playing at Duke. On Wednesday, ESPN released a forecast about the milestones the 6-foot-9 forward is likely to reach. NBA insiders made predictions about his rookie season performance, the number of NBA titles he might win, and when he could become an MVP.

One of the questions asked was when Flagg would make his first All-Star appearance. Interestingly, 57.7% of the insiders believe the forward will participate in his first All-Star game in his third season, the 2027-28 campaign. Meanwhile, 30.8% of the votes think the Maine native will play in his first All-Star game during his sophomore year, in the 2026-27 season.

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"A very large portion of star-level players reach that level by Year 3, so our panel is confident that Flagg will fit into that bucket, at the very least," Zach Kram wrote.

3.8% of the votes think Cooper Flagg will be an All-Star in his first season, while 7.7% believe it'll take him until the fourth year to emerge as a star.

Cooper Flagg is expected to be an instant starter in his rookie year

The Mavericks are likely to make Cooper Flagg one of their starters. Since he's the top pick this year, it's expected he will get plenty of playing time in the starting lineup. This means he'll spend most of his time on the floor with Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Kyrie Irving once he recovers from his ACL injury.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon thinks that could be the case for Flagg. However, he mentioned that the rookie probably won't be one of the primary offensive options for the Dallas team.

“Flagg is projected to be an instant starter, but he won't be expected to carry the team as a rookie surrounded by accomplished veterans, most prominently former No. 1 pick and 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, who was the headliner in the return package for Luka Doncic,” MacMahon wrote.

Another insider, Law Murray of The Athletic, said that he doesn't think Flagg's production would decrease. He referred to Jason Kidd's time as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks and amplified Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential by giving him the ball.

Murray thinks that Cooper Flagg could have a similar path if Kidd makes him a ball handler in Irving's absence.

"Jason Kidd, when he got to go to Milwaukee and get the Bucks job, he put the ball in Giannis’ hands and accelerated his [potential]," Murray said (24:40).

Many are excited to see how Flagg will play in his first NBA season.

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About the author

Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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