While offseason rumors were taken with a grain of salt, Cooper Flagg confirmed at Dallas Mavericks Media Day that he grew to 6-foot-10 without shoes over the summer. Of course, this isn't going to directly turn Flagg into the superstar he's bound to be, but it undoubtedly gives him an extra advantage on both sides of the floor that'll make his path to being one of the faces of the NBA easier.
An extra inch may not seem like a lot, but in a league filled with size and versatility, adding an extra inch will make Flagg's life easier in multiple aspects. It will help boost his abilities as a weak-side shot-blocker, will make finishing a little easier, and help him shoot over taller defenders.
Flagg growing to 6-foot-10 makes his path to stardom much easier
Flagg growing another inch is just the cherry on top for the Mavericks, as players rarely continue to grow once they enter adulthood and reach the NBA, but this wasn't the case for Flagg, as he came into the league at a brisk 18 years old.
Flagg's work ethic is already top-notch, and there's no doubt he's been working on his shooting, among many other areas of his game, over the offseason. Kyrie Irving returning to the lineup is already set to take pressure off Flagg from an offensive perspective, and it will allow Flagg to thrive in more actions as a play-finisher.
Again, Flagg adding another inch isn't going to directly lead him to reaching his full potential, but it could certainly expedite the time it takes for him to get there. There are plenty of other players across the league who could probably use an extra inch more than Flagg could, as he truly has the size at 6-foot-10 to become one of the best two-way wings in the game.
There's truly no ceiling for Flagg at this point in his career
Flagg is already renowned across the league, and him growing an extra inch should only increase teams' sense of urgency when they are going against him. While it seems far-fetched, Flagg is in rare air in terms of being as talented and productive as he is at such a young age. All-NBA and All-Star statuses are definitely in reach for him this season, depending on how big of a leap he takes.
The Mavericks have a lot to look forward to in Flagg's sophomore season, as his ball-handling and finishing abilities were already far beyond what most analysts projected at this stage in his career. Flagg is poised to take the next step on his ascent to being one of the top players in the league, and with him growing another inch, this process may unfold sooner than even the most optimistic Mavericks fans would've thought.
