10月11日，24直播网报道，达拉斯独行侠在季前赛中以132-115的比分战胜休斯顿火箭。比赛结束后，球星凯里·欧文在采访中谈到了队友库珀·弗拉格所承受的竞争压力，并分享了他在球队中所期望承担的职责。
"The young star expressed, 'As he steps into his sophomore year, he's beginning to assert his presence more prominently. Having claimed the title of Rookie of the Year, there's undoubtedly a substantial weight on his shoulders. My presence here is, in part, to alleviate some of the pressures he's been grappling with. I too have achieved my own milestones, drawing from those experiences to offer guidance. My initial years in the league were quite challenging, marked by numerous losses. We lacked the guidance of seasoned veterans. Reflecting on my own journey, I acknowledge that I am still in the process of honing my ability to lead a team effectively through the lens of competitive understanding.'"
历经挑战与困顿，我深知资深球员的指导至关重要。彼时，我们团队年轻气盛，我坚信我们具备冲击季后赛的实力，然而遗憾未能如愿。如今，我身处更高的职位，岁月增添了我的阅历。注视着这位年轻才俊——我甚至不愿将他视为孩子，他仍处于青少年阶段。尽管他的表现已超越同龄人，但你们都已见证了他的潜能，而他未来还将更加出色。
在激烈的比赛中，欧文全场比赛表现22分钟，投篮13次命中6球，其中三分球6投2中，罚球线上的表现则是3罚全中，总计收获17分、2个篮板和3次助攻，全场无失误，正负值达到+2。与此同时，弗拉格在25分钟的出场时间里，投篮10次命中3球，三分球4投1中，罚球8投7中，贡献14分、4个篮板、7次助攻、2次抢断和1次盖帽，但正负值略显不足，为-9。