Cooper Flagg Likely Skips Dunk And 3 Point For Mavericks

Merlin sees Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg brush off questions about the dunk or three-point contests with "never say never," but his answers make participation unlikely. The 19-year-old ex-Duke is averaging 18.9 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He is the only rookie among the top 20 in conference All-Star fan voting. A true All-Star nod is a long shot, but he is a near lock for the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Feb. 13-15. Merlin notes Flagg plays like a polished two-way prospect, more about consistent scoring than contest theatrics. Dunk contests demand flash. Three-point contests prize high-volume specialists. Expect Flagg to let his season build the case for a future contest appearance rather than chase one now.