The Dallas Mavericks are currently angling toward a second straight season in the NBA lottery on the heels of their 2024 NBA Finals run. Things worked out pretty well for Dallas last time they were there, as the team got the number one overall pick Cooper Flagg, who is currently in a race with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Another former Duke player on the Dallas roster is point guard Kyrie Irving, who will not play this season as he recovers from ACL surgery.
In his absence, the Mavericks have predictably lost quite a few games, but recently, Flagg revealed how Irving has taken on a leadership role despite being on the sidelines.
“He stepped in as like a great vet for me and was there giving me guidance because there were definitely times where I was shaken up,” said Flagg, per ESPN's NBA Today, via Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Mavs on X, formerly Twitter. “I'd never lost that much in my life. But just to hear him say that and tell me that I'm doing everything I need to be doing and just to stay with it and stay positive, it definitely helped me out a lot.”
Flagg had grown accustomed to winning during his time as a high school prodigy and college freshman star, but that has come to a stop in the NBA, as Dallas opted to blow things up at the trade deadline by trading Anthony Davis.
The hope is that the Mavericks will be able to add another high-end talent in this year's lottery to pair alongside Flagg and a healthy Irving next year, which could form a potential contender in the West.
Clearly, Irving is still finding ways to stay engaged despite the struggles this season.
