Dirk Nowitzki Names the One Weakness Still Holding Back Cooper Flagg

The Praise Came First

Dirk Nowitzki doesn't hand out compliments lightly, so when he says a 19-year-old has "shown pretty much everything else," that's worth paying attention to. Speaking on the DLLS Sports podcast, the Mavs legend broke down Cooper Flagg's rookie season piece by piece — the transition game, the mid-range touch, the ability to post up smaller defenders, even his growth running pick-and-rolls after early-season turnover struggles. For a No. 1 pick who came in with sky-high expectations, Flagg mostly delivered.

But There's a Catch

Here's the number that stands out: Flagg shot just 29.5% from three-point range on 3.5 attempts per game during his rookie season. That's a real drop from his Duke tape, where he hit 38.5% of his threes on almost identical volume. Nowitzki, who built a Hall of Fame career partly on being one of the most efficient shooters ever at his size, zeroed in on this immediately as the one gap in Flagg's otherwise complete game.

"I think he's going to raise his shooting percentage from three and from the outside more as he gets a little bit more comfortable," Nowitzki said. "He's going to keep stepping into those shots."

Why the Dip Happened

Rookie shooting slumps aren't unusual, especially for players asked to do everything else too. Flagg wasn't just a shooter in Dallas — head coach Jason Kidd put the ball in his hands early and often, asking him to run offense, make reads, and manage the game at a level most 19-year-olds never touch. Nowitzki pointed out that Flagg struggled with game management and turnovers in that role initially, but improved "tremendously" as the season progressed. It's a fair trade-off: a rookie learning point-guard responsibilities while his catch-and-shoot rhythm takes a hit.

The Bigger Picture

Despite the three-point struggles, Flagg still averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 46.8% overall from the field — numbers that earned him Rookie of the Year honors. That's the kind of production that makes the outside shot feel like a fixable footnote rather than a red flag. Nowitzki's framing matters here: he's not calling it a flaw, he's calling it the next step. Confidence and reps tend to fix shooting slumps for players with Flagg's overall skill level, and Nowitzki himself is proof that a big man's outside shot can evolve dramatically with time.

What to Watch Next Season

All eyes will be on Flagg's three-point volume and percentage early in year two. If that number climbs back toward his Duke level even as his playmaking role expands, the Mavericks have a legitimate two-way superstar on their hands — and Nowitzki's endorsement will look prophetic.