Cooper Flagg has long been an impressive dunker. But from the moment he detonated on the fastbreak right over a Pitt defender in his lone season at Duke, Flagg's forays down the lane have become must-see TV.
He has carried those slams into the NBA, where he takes off frequently to throw it down for the Dallas Mavericks after being the No. 1 pick in the draft.
Certainly seems like a guy that could win a dunk contest, right?
Well, maybe not. Flagg doesn't see himself taking part anytime soon.
“I’m more of an in-game dunker,” Flagg said, via the Mavs' official website. “Never say never, but I don’t know if I can really compete.”
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Flagg's fans would beg to differ. As long as he had someone creative in his corner, Flagg could surely put together an impressive array of dunks in a contest.
He does seem to gain a special energy by surging down the lane toward a defender, though. Some guys truly are just better with that in-game adrenaline.
This topic came up for Flagg because he was the only rookie among 40 players who received votes in the second round of fan voting for the All-Star Game.
Flagg has been as advertised as a rookie. He's averaging 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
The Mavs have counted on him to be a playmaker in addition to a scorer, and his 3-point shot is just starting to come around.
Dunk contest or not, Flagg will be one of the faces of the NBA for years to come.
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