As the Dallas Mavericks continue their impressive start to the 2026-27 NBA season, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins believes star forward Cooper Flagg has already established himself as one of the league's 10 best players.

Dallas improved to 4-2 Friday night with a 116-111 victory over the previously undefeated Houston Rockets (5-1) in its NBA Cup opener, handing Houston its first loss of the season.

Following Flagg's dominant performance, Perkins made a bold declaration during Saturday's broadcast of ESPN's SportsCenter, praising the 19-year-old's offensive versatility and development.

“We're talking about today: Cooper Flagg is a top 10 player in the NBA. We cannot name 10 players better than Cooper Flagg. He’s one of the best all-around players that we have in this game. The most impressive part about his game is that he’s able to be that point forward. Not only being able to create for himself but being able to create for others and you can tell that he’s been in the lab becasue he’s knocking down the trayball off the dribble. He’s getting to the midrange, he has a turnaround over both shoulders and he’s playing with this sense of urgency…”

"We're talking about today: Cooper Flagg is a top 10 player in the NBA. He's one of the best all around players that we have in this game"

– Kendrick Perkins 🗣️

(via @SportsCenter) pic.twitter.com/yXpPgCfdBs

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 31, 2026

Flagg finished Friday's victory with 33 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block in 39 minutes. He shot an efficient 13-for-19 from the field and 7-for-10 from the free-throw line despite missing all four of his 3-point attempts.

His performance helped Dallas overcome a Houston team that entered the matchup riding a five-game winning streak.

Cooper Flagg continues impressive sophomore campaign with Mavericks

Through his first five appearances of the 2026-27 season, Flagg is averaging 26.8 points, 6.6 assists, six rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.2 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game.

The reigning Rookie of the Year is also shooting an impressive 55.7% from the field, although his 26.9% mark from beyond the arc remains an area for improvement.

Flagg's early production demonstrates significant development as both a scorer and facilitator, particularly with his ability to create opportunities for teammates while maintaining an aggressive offensive approach.

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His defensive versatility has also remained a major component of his game, allowing Dallas to rely on him on both ends of the floor.

For Perkins, Flagg's combination of scoring, playmaking and defensive contributions already places him among the NBA's elite, despite being only 19 years old.

With the Mavericks looking to build on their encouraging start, Flagg's continued development could prove instrumental in their pursuit of a playoff berth.

Dallas will return to action Monday when it hosts the winless Sacramento Kings (0-5) at 8 p.m. ET.