Charles Barkley Slams Mavericks Over Cooper Flagg’s Point Guard Role
Charles Barkley’s first night on ESPN didn’t disappoint, and it didn’t take long for the Hall of Famer to spark a firestorm of debate.
The outspoken analyst took direct aim at the Dallas Mavericks’ handling of rookie sensation Cooper Flagg, accusing the team of “trying to reinvent the wheel” by forcing the young forward into a point guard role.
At halftime of the Mavericks’ clash with the San Antonio Spurs, Barkley was visibly unimpressed. He argued that Dallas was setting their top draft pick up for failure.
According to Barkley, Flagg should be playing freely, using his athleticism and scoring touch, instead of being bogged down by the playmaking duties of a traditional floor general.
“They’re not putting this kid in a position to succeed,” he said during the broadcast, insisting that D’Angelo Russell should be running the offence so Flagg can focus purely on attacking.
Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has already drawn national attention for his composure and flair. But Dallas’s decision to make him the primary ballhandler has left many analysts puzzled.
While flashes of brilliance have appeared during the preseason, the experiment has also exposed growing pains.
Charles Barkley says the Mavericks are the 2nd best team in the West if Antony Davis can play 60-75 games and Kyrie Irving is back in 2026.
He also adds, “Cooper Flagg, that boy is the real damn deal y’all”.
— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) October 22, 2025
By halftime, Flagg hadn’t registered a single point, and Barkley wasn’t the only one fuming. Kenny Smith, another member of the Inside the NBA crew, backed Barkley’s take. He explained that asking Flagg to run the offence takes him away from what makes him special.
“As a former point guard,” Smith noted, “I wouldn’t want him in that position. His job should be scoring, not distributing.”
Barkley went even further, adding that Flagg shouldn’t be “trying to pass to guys who aren’t as good as him.”
He quipped that the rookie should only be feeding Anthony Davis, and that “everyone else should be getting the ball to Flagg.”
That sharp critique echoed the tone seen recently across the league, especially after VJ Edgecombe made history in the Sixers’ win over the Celtics, showcasing how rookies can thrive when given roles that highlight their natural strengths.
The fiery halftime moment came during the much-anticipated return of Inside the NBA, this time on ESPN, after years of airing on TNT.
The original crew, Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson- reunited for opening night, featuring matchups between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, followed by the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
The show kicked off with laughter and nostalgia. Barkley’s recent weight loss became a topic of friendly ribbing, with Smith cheekily offering him a napkin “for all that kissing up” after Barkley praised his new network, calling ESPN “the greatest sports network ever” and saying it was “an honour and a privilege” to join.
Even amid the jokes, Barkley admitted to nerves. “I was nervous all day,” he confessed, a candid moment that reminded fans of why the group remains so loved.
Johnson even rolled a montage of Barkley’s past interviews, highlighting his initial doubts about joining ESPN.
Later in the show, the crew revived one of their classic segments, the famous “race to the screen.” This time, though, it was more of a stroll than a sprint. “We’re on ESPN now,” Smith laughed. “We’re trying to do things easily.”
But when it came to basketball talk, Barkley was all business. His blunt assessment of the Mavericks’ handling of Cooper Flagg reignited memories of the TNT days, where fiery debates and raw honesty defined the broadcast.
Despite the change in network and studio, one thing is clear: Charles Barkley’s unfiltered opinions aren’t going anywhere.
His remarks about Flagg’s role have already stirred discussion across the NBA, with fans and analysts split between trusting Dallas’s experiment and siding with Barkley’s old-school logic.
For now, all eyes remain on Cooper Flagg, the highly touted rookie trying to find his footing in the NBA spotlight, while balancing the weight of expectations and the scrutiny of legends.
