Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg talks getting the ‘home crowd’ treatment in Boston

The homecoming for Cooper Flagg was everything people expected, even if the scoreboard didn’t go the way of the Dallas Mavericks. The Maine native and No. 1 overall pick finally made his professional debut at TD Garden on Friday night, and despite playing for the visiting team, the Boston crowd treated him like a local legend.

The atmosphere was electric from the jump as the Mavericks took on the Celtics. The Celtics eventually pulled away for a 120-100 blowout, but the story was the 19-year-old rookie. Cooper Flagg finished his Garden debut with 16 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in 30 minutes. While he struggled with his efficiency, shooting just 7-of-23 from the floor and 0-of-4 from deep, the impact of the moment wasn’t lost on him.

After the game, the media tried to bait the rookie into imagining a future in green. When asked if the experience of the TD Garden crowd made him want to experience it as a home player rather than a visitor, Flagg shut it down with the veteran poise he’s shown all season. “I love being a Maverick,” Flagg said. “That’s home, and I don’t want anything else.”

Cooper Flagg was asked if the experience of playing at TD Garden met his expectations and if he’d like to experience it “with the home crowd” as opposed to with the #Mavs:

“I love being a Maverick. That’s home and I don’t want anything else.” pic.twitter.com/okQuCz4bRq

— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) March 7, 2026

The Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, proved why they are the class of the Eastern Conference, but Flagg showed flashes of the generational talent that made him the top prize of the 2025 NBA Draft. He swatted two shots and played high-level defense against some of the best wings in the world. It wasn’t the “W” the Mavs wanted, but for a kid from Newport, Maine, walking off that court to a standing ovation was a full-circle moment.

The post Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg talks getting the ‘home crowd’ treatment in Boston appeared first on ClutchPoints.