Cooper Flagg 'Is A Bad Boy!' But Is Mavs Star 'Better Than Giannis'?

The lofty comparisons for Cooper Flagg keep rolling in, the latest coming from an NBA veteran who claims the Dallas Mavs' teenager "is better than Giannis'' Antetokounmpo.

After watching the Flagg and perennial MVP candidate Giannis post matching 29-point, 11-assist performances in Miami on Oct. 26, former NBA standout Evan Turner offered his evaluation.

“Hey, I was skeptical, bro, but Cooper… He could have had 40-something,” Turner said. “He literally was getting his guys in like that. Hey, that’s a bad boy, bro ...

“He literally turned it on ... taking it into the paint on Giannis,” Turner added. “Like, he was being nice that night. He should have had a 40-point triple.

"That boy is cold. He’s here.”

Turner made the comparison on Sports Illustrated’s Open Floor show after Dallas beat the star-studded Miami Heat 113-109 at Kaseya Center. The loss dropped Miami to 0-4, its first 0-4 start since 2008-09.

Flagg finished with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks in 40 minutes, shooting 12-of-23 from the field and 2-of-8 from three-point range.

Antetokounmpo countered with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists.

But that part about "literally turning it on''?

Twelve of Flagg’s points came in the fourth quarter. Dallas led by two with 31 seconds left when Andrew Wiggins took a three-pointer that would have put Miami ahead. Flagg blocked it. After a timeout, he drove for a layup that put Dallas up four with 10 seconds left.

It's worth noting that Turner has historically been no fan of "The Greek Freak.'' But that doesn't take away from some Flagg truths, as he's posted performances over his year-plus in the NBA that rival the likes of LeBron James when he first entered the league as the most highly-touted teenager to ever do so.

Dallas took Flagg first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he won Rookie of the Year last season.

Through five games this year, Flagg is averaging 26.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while shooting 55.7% from the field. Dallas is 4-2 and has won three straight in its first season under Mavericks coach Dusty May. ... and now hope to pile it on as they play host to the winless Sacramento Kings on Monday at American Airlines Center, with tip-off set for 7 p.m. CT.

And who knows what fresh comparisons might come as a result of Flagg's next outing?