Cooper Flagg’s NBA Debut

Cooper Flagg’s mother famously told her peripatetic son if you’re the best player in the gym, it’s time to find a new gym. Looks like he’s found a home. Because Victor Wembanyama not only was the best player Wednesday in American Airlines Center, he was the best in at least a 500-mile radius.

Jason Kidd sent wave after wave at the world’s tallest Frenchman, who flicked them away like so many fleas, lousing up Flagg’s coming-out party in a 125-92 flop by the hosts.

Both the buzzkill and the Mavs were so bad, the only fans still remaining with three minutes left were of the Spurs variety.

Might even have been a few converts in the crowd.

The Game

Looking every bit the once-in-a-lifetime player he was billed three years ago, Wemby whirled, he thundered, he ordered up a Dream shake. Even rocked the baby. He had 21 at the half and 40 points and 15 rebounds when he came out before the fan exodus.

No reason to hang around when the show’s over.

They haven’t seen anything like this back in Maine.

“I mean, he’s incredible,” Flagg said, his feet soaking in ice water at his locker. “You can’t know what it’s like until you’re down there on the court with him.”

Flagg’s Performance

If Flagg wasn’t exactly in Wemby’s class, no one else was, either. Certainly not Anthony Davis, who needed 22 shots to get 22 points, or P.J. Washington, who backed him up with 17.

For that matter, Flagg might even have been the Mavs’ third-best player Wednesday, and that was the problem.

On an opening night when he got a shout-out from the crowd during the national anthem, Flagg needed a half to be properly introduced. His first NBA field goal wasn’t the dunk he’d hoped for. Davis tried to get it for him early, but his lob was off-target, and Flagg’s attempt rimmed out. His first points came instead just after intermission on a picture-perfect jumper inside the key.

Only after Kidd emptied his bench with the Spurs up by 20 in the third did Flagg finally attempt to assert himself. He made back-to-back shots late in the third — a driving floater and a one-legged fadeaway tribute to Dirk Nowitzki — and another jumper with a minute left in the third.

Final line: 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, no assists, one steal and a minus-29 rating.

Post-Game Reaction

“Not great,” Flagg said. “I mean, obviously I didn’t play incredibly well, but I’ve got to move past it.”

Kidd tried his best to remind everyone that Flagg is still just a teenager. He complimented his hustle and selflessness and said he tries to play the right way.

“He’s going to learn from this game,” Kidd said. “We all will, and we’ll be better next time we take the floor.”

No way it could get any worse.

As Washington put it, “We weren’t good at anything.”

Remember when a certain columnist said the Mavs’ front line would be a “wall”? Hard to stop anyone when you pick up your fourth foul late in the second quarter, as Davis did, or your fifth halfway through the third, like Dereck Lively II. The Mavs could have used Daniel Gafford, out with what was characterized as “soreness.” That’s what I’d say, too, if I had to deal with Wemby.

Kidd seemed to feel that, if they couldn’t make up for Wemby’s height advantage 1-on-1, they could do it collectively. Flagg started at point guard in a lineup that came within an inch from the league record for average height, set Tuesday by the Rockets against Oklahoma City. The Mavs’ starting five of Davis, Washington, Flagg, Lively and Klay Thompson came in at an average of 6-9, which was pretty much the best thing you could say about it.

Conclusion

The only thing that could have saved opening night was if Flagg had lived up to the hype, which, come to think of it, might be impossible. Even Arch Manning doesn’t have it this bad. He only had to replace Quinn Ewers. Flagg has to make Mavs fans forget Luka Doncic, and, in his debut, anyway, he didn’t get any help.

Flagg is certainly being paid like a celebrity. He’s making at least twice as much in side deals as he is with his $13.8 million rookie salary.

He’s in an AT&T commercial with his grandmother and a Gatorade spot with Dirk that dropped this week.

“You know what legacy looks like,” Dirk says in a voice-over. “You know what it takes to earn it. Yours begins now. The pick made. The city chosen.

“Not the next Dirk. The first Cooper.”

A little history: Dirk wasn’t so good in his first game, either. Not as good as Flagg, even. Missed all five shots and finished with two points, five assists and zip rebounds. And he turned out just fine.

Probably should note that, in his first game, Luka scored 16 points, with six rebounds