Two weeks into his NBA career, Cooper Flagg’s story is already one of contrast — flashes of brilliance intertwined with the growing pains of an 18-year-old learning a new position on the fly. This has got EssentiallySports closely following his journey and our sources helping with a weekly update on Mavs’ internal chatter.

The Maine-born rookie opened the season with a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in his debut against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, earning early praise from Jason Kidd, who said the performance showed “a foundation for greatness.” Dallas struggled offensively that night, but Flagg’s poise stood out as he handled stretches of lead-guard duty and never looked overwhelmed. Defensively, he experienced the speed of the NBA immediately — San Antonio scored 68 points in t

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