New Dallas Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz is ready to help the franchise get back to contending for championships. The top priority: Cooper Flagg.
Dallas’ new president and alternative governor, Masai Ujiri, hired the former Portland Trail Blazers assistant general manager in one of his first moves since joining the franchise this offseason.
Schmitz will help in “all areas of basketball operations, including scouting, player personnel, strategic planning, and organizational collaboration across departments,” ESPN was told.
19-Year-Old Cooper Flagg Was a Factor in Mike Schmitz Joining the Mavericks
It’s been less than a month since joining the Mavericks organization, but Mike Schmitz is ready to get rolling. He told The Athletic that 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is an intriguing prospect for Dallas as it rebuilds.
“Just super impressive so far. The level of talent, the attention to detail, the competitiveness, the way he carries himself. He’s not a typical 19-year-old,” Schmitz said. “That’s one of the many reasons I’m so excited about all we can do here in Dallas.”
“Usually, even with a No. 1 pick, it takes some time to impact winning. Defensively, offensively, all of the details. The I.Q. He has many of the traits you see in veterans. That’s the thing that really stood out,” the new Mavericks general manager added. “This isn’t just a young guy putting up numbers. He’s actually impacting winning. That’s very rare. That’s one of the many things that make him such a unique young player.”
Cooper Flagg’s Impressive Rookie Season
In his first year in the NBA, Cooper Flagg won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award while leading the Dallas Mavericks. He beat out his former Duke teammate, Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel for the award.
In 2025-26, Flagg played in all but 12 games for the Mavericks while averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 46.8/29.5/82.7 shooting splits. Without Kyrie Irving for the entire season as he recovers from a torn ACL, Flagg stepped up as the lead man in Dallas at 19 years old.
It’s worth noting that Flagg was younger than the rest of the 2025 draft class. The 6-foot-9 forward from Newport, Maine, reclassified to the high school graduating class of 2024. This gave him the ability to pursue his NBA dreams even earlier than most.
At the time he was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in June of 2025, Flagg was just 18 years old. This didn’t stop him from getting elected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team and being named Rookie of the Year for the 2025-26 season.
Flagg was the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984-85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. On top of this, the Mavericks rookie became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40-plus and is the only teenager in NBA history to record a 50-point game.
A Look at the Mavericks’ 2026 NBA Draft
The Dallas Mavericks have multiple new faces in the front office, including Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, to help find the franchise’s next head coach after Jason Kidd was fired.
Not just this, but the Mavs own the No. 9, 30, and 48 overall picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
“I think the thing you want, above all else, is optionality and tools to get better,” Mike Schmitz told The Athletic. “The fact that we have that is really exciting.”
With a 34-year-old Kyrie Irving just coming off a torn ACL, a young point guard could be what the Mavericks eye with their No. 9 selection. Illinois’ Kingston Flemings and Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr. are two options Dallas could be evaluating leading up to the draft.
The 2026 NBA Draft is set to take place on June 23 and 24.
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