DeMarcus Cousins Calls Former Duke Star Cooper Flagg the Future Face of the NBA

Former Duke star Cooper Flagg has another endorsement from DeMarcus Cousins. On "Gil's Arena," the former All-Star called the Dallas Mavericks forward the future face of the NBA.

The remarks followed Flagg's 43-point, 10-rebound, six-assist, three-steal night in Monday's 125-122 win over the Indiana Pacers. NBA__Courtside posted the clip at 3:09 p.m. ET Tuesday, and Basketball Network's Jonas Panerio transcribed it.

Cousins wants people to put real respect on Flagg's name.

"He's been incredible, man. He's been incredible. And it's the fact that he's 19 going on 20. He's still not even close to being in his prime. And this is what we're seeing from him on a nightly basis," Cousins said.

"He can do what he want, man. Cooper Flagg do what he want. He is Mr. America, Captain America, however you want to look at it. He does what he wants," Cousins continued. "But this is the future of the NBA. Future face."

Flagg went 16-of-25 from the field, made three 3-pointers, and scored 16 of his points in the fourth quarter, Hoops Wire noted. Afterward, the NBA posted that Kevin Durant, in 2008, was the only other player to put up 40 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in a game as a teenager.

Flagg is averaging 25.9 points on 50% shooting, 6.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists this season, according to Basketball Network. Dallas had just lost back-to-back games for the first time this season, to the Sacramento Kings and the San Antonio Spurs. Indiana played without Tyrese Haliburton, who has missed seven straight games with a left hamstring strain, and dropped to 3-8.

After those two losses, Cousins went on the "Run It Back" show and called the criticism of Flagg's play completely unfair. Flagg is too young to buy a drink, he pointed out, and comparing him with 30-year-olds in their prime was unfair. He called Flagg one of the future faces of the league then, too.

Cousins had made another comparison on "Gil's Arena" in October. He saw parts of Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo in Flagg. Iman Shumpert, the former NBA guard, disagreed with part of the comparison during that episode.

Flagg's lone season at Duke ended with a 70-67 loss to Houston in the national semifinals in San Antonio. The Blue Devils went 35-4, and he was a consensus All-American and The Associated Press Player of the Year, as Duke Roundtable recapped in October. Duke reached the Elite Eight without him last season and lost to UConn.

Dallas moved up from No. 11 to No. 1 in the 2025 draft lottery, took him first overall that June, and he was named NBA Rookie of the Year last season. Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II, also former Blue Devils, are his Mavericks teammates. Coach Dusty May, hired from Michigan this offseason, praised Flagg at his introductory news conference in April.

The Mavericks have won seven of their first 11 games. They are ninth in the West, with Memphis and Portland each half a game ahead of them.