Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving says Cooper Flagg hype is real: ‘No gas, all facts’

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving praised teammate Cooper Flagg, stating that the hype surrounding the 19-year-old forward is completely real. The comments followed the Mavericks' 128-110 season-opening loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, where Flagg scored 32 points. The game marked Irving's return to the court after being sidelined for more than 18 months due to a torn ACL, with the 34-year-old veteran contributing 15 points.

Irving and Flagg share common ground as former Duke players who were selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft. Following the loss, Flagg emphasized the need to get Irving more involved offensively, while Irving praised Flagg's mindset and on-court impact. Dallas team president Masai Ujiri continues to retool the roster around Flagg, acquiring recent young first-round picks to complement the squad.