Former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg has delivered some rather disappointing news.
Former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg is certainly enjoying one heck of an NBA rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks, but right now, everyone is asking themselves one question.
Will Flagg participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
Flagg is receiving a healthy amount of votes for the All-Star Game, but the 19-year-old forward is not sure whether or not he will actually participate in the dunk fest.
“See, I don’t know if I could really compete,” Flagg told reporters. “I’m more of an in-game dunker, so never say never, but I don’t know if I can really compete.”
Definitely a disappointing answer from Flagg, considering he is one of the league's brightest stars and everyone wants to see his incredible skills on full display, but it's also perfectly understandable.
You also have to appreciate the humility in Flagg's response, with the Duke product saying that he isn't sure if he could compete rather than simply saying he wouldn't want to participate.
Flagg is averaging 19.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.3 steals over 34.6 minutes per game on 48.0/29.3/81.8 shooting splits.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg. Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images.Obviously, Flagg's perimeter shot needs some work, but that was already known when the former No. 1 overall pick entered the NBA.
Flagg spent one season with the Blue Devils in 2024-25, winning the Player of the Year award after registering 19.2 points, 7.5 boards, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks a night while shooting 48.1 percent from the floor, 38.1 percent from three-point range and 84 percent from the free-throw line.
The Newport, Me. native also led Duke to a Final Four appearance, where it fell to Houston after blowing a late 14-point lead.
Flagg has drawn a variety of legendary comparisons, with the most thrilling being Kevin Garnett due to his defensive versatility.
Not only can Flagg guard just about any position defensively, but he is also a scorer as well as a facilitator on the offensive end of the floor.
It's pretty clear that Flagg still has some kinks to iron out in his game, but he is making tremendous progress for a player who is still a teenager.
We'll see if Flagg can ultimately live up to his massive expectations.