Amid Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg's first two weeks of the regular season, teammates Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis gave fans their initial impressions of the NBA's first overall pick. While it's still early in the regular season, some wonder whether the Mavericks will reach the playoffs this year, given injuries — including Kyrie Irving, who's yet to make his season debut — and the steep competition in the Western Conference.
However, when it comes to what Flagg is like around his veteran teammates — Davis and Thompson — their respective answers about this year's No. 1 pick are positive, per the NBA's X, formerly Twitter.
“I've learned he loves to game. Big-time gamer,” Klay Thompson said. “Big-time E-Sports participant.”
For Davis, Flagg's work ethic stands out the most.
“He's a worker,” Davis said. “He wants to be great. He takes the game very seriously.”
What have the Mavs learned about the #1 pick, Cooper Flagg, since he’s become their teammate? 🤔
Watch the NBA Mexico City Game presented by @MichelobULTRA tonight at 10pm/et on Peacock! pic.twitter.com/4xXmlBjRlr
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2025
Flagg finished with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, 10 rebounds, four assists, and one block in the Mavericks' 115-107 win against the Indiana Pacers. Five games into his rookie campaign, Flagg is averaging 13.4 points on 41.0% shooting, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for Dallas.
Amid a 2-3 start, Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks are still looking for their stride in 2025-26. However, one analyst has already seen enough. The Mavs will miss the playoffs this season, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.
“The theory entering the season was that Dallas' defense would carry it while it waited for a potential Kyrie Irving return. But through this opening week, the defense has looked far from formidable, and the lack of perimeter shooting and shot creation has been the problem it was expected to be,” Bontemps said. “That's a bad combination in a loaded Western Conference.
It's a conference led by the undefeated defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (7-0) and the San Antonio Spurs (6-0), the only other undefeated team in the West, who handed Dallas its first loss of the regular season in its season opener.
Anthony Davis unlikely to play in Mavericks' matchup vs. Pistons
Mavericks All-Star Anthony Davis is unlikely to face the Pistons in Saturday's matchup in Mexico City. Davis exited Wednesday's 107-105 win against the Pacers with lower leg soreness and is expected to miss his first complete game of the 2025-26 campaign, per NBA insider Marc Stein.
“Anthony Davis is expected to be ruled out of Dallas’ game Saturday in Mexico City against Detroit after exiting Wednesday night with left lower leg soreness. An official status update remains TBA after Davis was listed earlier in the week with bilateral Achilles tendinopathy,” Stein wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
If they beat the Pistons, it'll be the Mavericks' first consecutive wins of the regular season.
