On Friday, Luka Dončić took on the Mavericks for the third time since they shockingly traded him to the Lakers last February. This game marked the first time that Dončić faced his heir apparent in Dallas, rookie Cooper Flagg.
Just a year ago, Dončić was the young centerpiece of the Mavericks coming off an NBA Finals appearance. Now, that position belongs to Flagg, whom Dallas selected No. 1 after they lucked out to win the top pick in the draft lottery. The Mavericks got Anthony Davis back from the Lakers in the Dončić trade, but Flagg is the young star they will build around.
In the first matchup between Flagg and Dončić, Flagg recorded a double-double with 13 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds in the game. The rookie is averaging 15.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game over his first 20 NBA games.
“I think he’s a good player,” Dončić said of Flagg after the game. “Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with the first pick, so he has a lot on his shoulder, but I think he will become a great player.”
Asked Luka Doncic about Cooper Flagg:
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) November 29, 2025
“I think he’s a good player. Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with the 1st pick so he has a lot on his shoulder, but I think he will become a great player.”
He was also asked about Flagg’s playmaking. The Mavs rookie had 11… pic.twitter.com/MTrjDTeQbc
When asked what stands out about Flagg’s playmaking, Dončić added, “Probably getting in the paint, looking for his teammates. Obviously he's not a No. 1 position point guard, I think he gets his teammates involved great.”
Meanwhile, Dončić showed out and reminded the Mavericks once again what they are missing. Dončić, the NBA’s leading scorer, tallied 35 points with five rebounds and 11 assists as the Lakers claimed a 129–119 win to move to 14–4 on the season and drop the Mavericks to 5–15. Dončić has played great in all three of his matchups against Dallas since the trade, recording a triple-double in the first game and at least 35 points in each of the last two clashes.
As for facing his former team, Dončić acknowledged “it's a little bit easier now.” He added, “Games against Dallas always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It'll always be special for me."
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Luka Dončić Had Classy Message About Cooper Flagg After Lakers’ Win Over Mavericks.
