Lakers’ JJ Redick praises Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, talks NBA comparison

Joe Mayo

•
Lakers’ JJ Redick praises Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, talks NBA comparison image

The Los Angeles Lakers played their penultimate preseason matchup Wednesday, falling to the Dallas Mavericks 121-94. 

While the Lakers were without most of their presumed starters for opening night, they faced the bulk of Dallas’ projected starting lineup. No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg posted 13 points, three assists and two rebounds across 28 minutes in Dallas’ blowout victory. 

The two franchises have been closely linked recently following Dallas’ blockbuster trade sending Luka Doncic to Los Angeles for a package including Anthony Davis last season. The latter appeared in just nine regular-season games with Dallas due to a strained left adductor, while Kyrie Irving also missed time with a torn ACL. With the Mavericks missing the playoffs in an injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign, the team lucked out and landed the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, selecting Flagg. 

MORE: NBA insider reveals LeBron James' expected return timeline from sciatica

JJ Redick calls Cooper Flagg a ‘special player’ 

Lakers head coach JJ Redick was on the sideline Wednesday for the first time with Flagg on the floor, and he praised the 18-year-old while dismissing comparisons in a postgame interview, per Vegas Sports Today.

“I know the Grant Hill comparison is getting thrown out a lot right now, Cooper is his own special player,” Redick said. “I think his defensive instincts and playmaking ability far exceed most 18 year olds.” 

Those traits have made Flagg one of the greatest American prospects in recent memory. He dominated during his lone collegiate campaign at Duke, becoming one of just four freshmen in men's college basketball history to win the Naismith College Player of the Year award. 

Now, Redick and the Lakers will continue to prepare for the regular season, when they next face Flagg and the Mavericks on Nov. 28 in Los Angeles.

More NBA news:

Joe Mayo

Joe Mayo is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. Born and raised in Wisconsin, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2024. He’s also a contributor at RotoWire. While Joe primarily writes about the NBA, he also covers the WNBA and MLB.