If you try to pin a label on Cooper Flagg, you’re basically fighting a losing battle with the modern game. Everyone wants a clean answer. Is he a small forward? A power forward? Maybe a "point forward" like we’ve seen with guys like Paolo Banchero or Scottie Barnes?
The short answer is he's a basketball player. Seriously.
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But for the sake of your fantasy draft or just winning an argument at the bar, we have to look deeper. At Duke, Jon Scheyer famously said Cooper Flagg is a guard. That might sound crazy for a guy who measured 6’7.75” barefoot at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine with a 7-foot wingspan, but Scheyer wasn't kidding. He played him on the perimeter, let him initiate the pick-and-roll, and expected him to defend the other team’s best scorer regardless of size.
The Myth of the Traditional Power Forward
We used to live in a world where the "4" spot meant you lived on the block and occasionally hit a 15-footer. Those days are dead. In today’s NBA—especially now that he’s leading the Dallas Mavericks—Flagg’s "position" changes based on who is standing next to him.
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When he’s sharing the floor with a traditional rim protector like Anthony Davis or Dereck Lively II, he functions as a roaming wing. He’s the guy flying in for chase-down blocks and jumping passing lanes. But the second you go small? He’s your center. He has the verticality (40-inch max leap) and the "dog" in him to battle much bigger humans.
Scouts often call him a "Two-Way Forward," but that’s a bit of a cop-out. It doesn't capture the fact that he led Duke in literally everything: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. You don't do that by sticking to one spot on the floor.
Why the "Guard" Label Actually Makes Sense
Scheyer’s insistence on calling him a guard wasn't just coach-speak. It was a developmental challenge.
- Playmaking: He has an elite assist rate for a player his size. We're talking 20% or higher, which puts him in that rare air occupied by guys like LeBron or Jokic.
- Ball Handling: While his handle can still get a little loose in high-pressure traffic, he's most comfortable with the ball in his hands, surveying the floor.
- Perimeter Defense: He doesn't just "switch" onto guards; he actively hunts them. His hip fluidity allows him to stay in front of 6’2” speedsters, which is a nightmare for opposing offenses.
Honestly, the most accurate way to describe his position is "Defensive Eraser/Offensive Connector." If you need him to be the 1A scorer, he can do it, but he’s most dangerous when he’s the 1B who makes every single teammate better.
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The Mavs didn't take him at No. 1 in 2025 to play him in a box. They took him because he allows them to play any style they want.
If the opponent goes big with two centers, Flagg is too fast for them. If they go small, Flagg is too long for them. It’s a classic mismatch nightmare. Some analysts, like those at NBADraft.net, have pointed out that he’s a bit thin (around 221 lbs) for a full-time interior role, but his motor makes up for the lack of bulk. He plays much "heavier" than he looks.
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The "tweener" label used to be a career killer. For Cooper Flagg, it’s his superpower. He bridges the gap between the backcourt and the frontcourt so seamlessly that the coaching staff usually just tells him to "go find the ball."
How to Evaluate Flagg Moving Forward
When you're watching him this season, don't look at where he stands during the jump ball. That’s meaningless. Instead, watch who he’s guarding in the fourth quarter.
If he’s locking up the opposing point guard, he’s a guard. If he’s rotating to the rim to swat a 7-footer’s layup into the third row, he’s a center. He is the ultimate chameleon. The fact that we're even debating this proves he's exactly what the modern NBA is looking for.
Actionable Insight for Fans and Analysts:
Stop looking for a single-position designation in box scores. To truly understand Flagg’s value, track his impact versatility. Specifically, look at his "Defensive Versatility Index"—how often he switches between guarding different positions. If he’s spending more than 20% of his time on three or more different positions, he’s doing his job. Also, watch his assist-to-turnover ratio; as a 6’9” primary or secondary initiator, keeping that above 1.5 is the difference between a good player and a generational one.