Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg said Wednesday that he wants to tune out any outside noise surrounding the team and focus on improving following the firing of Nico Harrison.
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont announced Tuesday that the organization had relieved Harrison of his role as general manager and president of basketball operations. Harrison was hired in June 2021, assembling a roster that advanced to the NBA Finals in 2024.
Harrison and the Mavericks selected Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick after winning the draft lottery in May, despite having just a 1.8% chance of doing so. Harrison called Flagg a “generational talent” for the team after drafting him in June.
“Obviously, I didn’t have an incredibly long relationship with Nico, but from what I knew, he seemed like a great guy and we had a really solid relationship,” Flagg said. “At the end of the day, I’m here to play basketball, and whatever goes on above me is above me. I can’t worry about it too much. I’m going to keep trying to show up and be who I am and try to be better every single day.”
Harrison orchestrated the trade to send five-time All-Star Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in a package that included Anthony Davis and Max Christie in February. The trade is universally regarded as one of the worst in the history of the NBA.
The state of the Mavericks was in disarray following the trade, with many calling for the firing of Harrison. Many believed that he had bought himself time following the selection of Flagg, though after a 3-8 start marred by injuries and inconsistent play, Dumont decided to move on.
After trading away Dončić, the Mavericks hope Flagg can step in and be their long-term solution. While the expectations may be astronomical, the 18-year-old Maine native is aiming to ignore the outside conversation and become the best version of himself on and off the court.
“There is always noise,” Flagg said. “There has been noise through college; there was noise when I was in high school. As you go from level to level, it gets more and more, and it might get more challenging to deal with, but there is always going to be noise. … You just have to find ways to deal with it.”
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Mavericks news: Cooper Flagg reacts to the firing of GM Nico Harrison
