21 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals! Luka s successor was born, Kidd made it clear, he can win the Rookie of the Year Award

The waves behind the Yangtze River push the waves ahead, and the new generation is better than the old! Veterans such as Lao James, Curry, Harden, Durant, and Paul have not yet stepped down from the altar. Mesozoic stars such as Jokic, Antetokounmpo, Alexander, and Doncic have risen strongly. Young talents such as Huazi, Benqueiro, Wenbanyama, and Cunningham are also emerging. The 2025 rookie class is about to embark on a journey to the NBA. The stars are bright, including foreign dreamers like Yang Hansen, famous goalkeepers like Harper, and thorny young people like Bailey. Compared with Yang Hansen, Harper, and Bailey, there is another rookie who became famous earlier, has a higher starting point, and has high hopes!

What I want to talk about is Flagg, the top pick of the Mavericks. Flagg is known as the son of the new generation of America. Just after graduating from high school, he served as a sparring partner for James, Durant, Curry and others on the Dream Team. In his freshman season, Flagg played for Duke University, a prestigious NCAA school, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. He led the team in five statistics and won the John Wooden Award without any suspense. According to statistics, Flagg is the fourth freshman player in history to win the John Wooden Award. The first three are Durant, Big Eyebrow and Zion. When the Mavericks won the No. 1 pick with a historically low probability of 1.8%, the world suddenly realized: Flagg would be the perfect choice for the Mavericks. He may be the reason why the Mavericks dared to risk the world's disapproval to trade Luka to the Lakers.

From Dirk to Luka, the Mavericks relied on international superstars to become a Western Conference giant; now, the Mavericks' torch of giants has been passed to the sons of America. One fact must be mentioned. In today's NBA, international stars have monopolized the regular season MVP for 7 consecutive years. The last American star to win the regular season MVP dates back to Harden in the 2018-19 season. Based on this, it is no exaggeration to say that Flagg has an extraordinary mission. He not only has to be Luka's successor, but also strives to become the new face of the US men's basketball team. There is a long road ahead and a long way to go.

Flagg moved forward with a heavy load, tried his skills in the preseason and shined. After the first two games of the preseason, Flagg scored 21 points + 9 rebounds + 7 assists + 3 steals + 1 block + 3 three-pointers. Among them, the Mavericks defeated the Thunder with 17 points. Flagg played 14 minutes, making 3 of 6 shots (2 of 3 three-pointers), 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. The plus-minus on the field was + 8; The Mavericks narrowly lost to the Hornets by 4 points. Flagg played 23 minutes, making 4 of 8 shots (1 of 2 three-pointers), 2 of 2 free throws, scoring 11 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals, with a plus-minus of +2.

Looking at Flagg's performance in the first two preseason games, you have to sigh: There is a reason why Flagg is known as the Son of America, and there is a reason why the Mavericks selected Flagg with the No. 1 pick. He is indeed the best successor to Luka! Flagg is 2.06 meters tall and weighs 91 kilograms. His excellent size and excellent athletic ability allow him to switch freely between positions 1, 2, 3, and 4. His all-around offense and defense is his biggest label. First of all, Flagg has comprehensive offensive skills and can finish at long, medium and short distances; secondly, Flagg has excellent movement control ability and has the potential to become the core of the ball; finally, Flagg has top defensive talent and can defend from the first to the fifth position. More importantly, Flagg has a very high golf IQ and can read and handle the game intelligently on the court.

Flagg had some reservations in the preseason, but his talent cannot be hidden, and he won a lot of praise. As opponents, Jerlinway and Barnheiser lamented: Flagg is an epoch-making genius; as teammates, Christie said: Flagg is completely adapted to the rhythm of the NBA; as bystanders, the US media pointed out: Flagg's all-round skills are clearly visible and can ensure the influence of the game. Flagg has shown terrifying defensive abilities. He has been in the NBA for 2-3 years. He will definitely be able to get into the defense, and his rapid growth will allow the Mavericks to return to the championship; as a mentor, Mavericks coach Kidd made it clear. He bluntly said: Flagg's maturity is far beyond that of his 18-year-old peers. The most impressive thing is his pure belief in winning, caring about the team and focusing on victory. He can always maintain a high-intensity competitive state and go all out to win the game!

The NBA official website released the results of the annual general manager survey. In the item "Who is the Rookie of the Year in the 2025-26 season", Flagg received 97% of the votes; in the item "Which rookie will become the best player in five years?", Flagg received 93% of the votes. I don't know what Flagg will be like in five years, but one thing is for sure, he will definitely win the MVP in the new season. Irving has not yet returned, and his thick eyebrow attendance rate has always been a hidden danger. This will be an opportunity for Flagg to grow. According to our understanding of Kidd, he will definitely focus on training Flagg in the new season and let him thrive in a winning culture! I hope Flagg will continue his efforts to win the Rookie of the Year award! Fans and friends, what do you think of this? Come and leave me a comment to discuss.