{"id":408703,"date":"2026-01-14T13:16:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:16:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/408703\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T13:16:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T13:16:28","slug":"cooper-flagg-taking-nba-by-storm-how-special-bond-spurred-his-ascent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/408703\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooper Flagg taking NBA by storm. How ‘special bond’ spurred his ascent"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s this somewhat unique arrangement Cooper Flagg<\/a> has worked out with the Dallas Mavericks<\/a>, but \u2013 to properly understand it \u2013 we first have to go back.<\/p>\n

Back to Bangor, Maine. Back to 2019, when Flagg was in the sixth grade.<\/p>\n

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His parents had been looking for someone to guide Flagg, who was then 12, as a basketball player. Always the standout, he was already drawing interest from national programs, so the objective was simple: to maximize his potential in a state relatively devoid of elite basketball talent.<\/p>\n

And so, the Flaggs found this coach named Matt MacKenzie and walked into his gym, though gym, frankly, is doing a lot of work.<\/p>\n

Something between a garage and warehouse with tile floors and a hoop, it\u2019s where MacKenzie soon realized he\u2019d have to invent drills \u2013 think micro shot clocks and one-on-one games where Flagg was restricted to a single dribble \u2013 to match his unicorn intensity.<\/p>\n

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Fairly reserved in public, Flagg is notoriously deliberate in trusting people. The family also keeps its inner circle tight. So when they saw the work MacKenzie was putting in, the Flaggs gradually sought his counsel and brought him into their support group for Flagg.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve just developed a very special bond that goes beyond basketball,\u201d MacKenzie recently told USA TODAY Sports.<\/p>\n

Even now, that hasn\u2019t changed.<\/p>\n

In fact, the Mavericks (15-25) have empowered Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick and youngest player in the NBA, to assume total ownership of his rookie season. From granting MacKenzie extensive access, to implementing cold tubs and Normatec compression boots<\/a> that increase blood circulation, to meeting precise dietary and hydration needs, Dallas is allowing Flagg and his inner circle to dictate the terms of his development.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg poses with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison and Mavericks first overall pick Cooper Flagg and head coach Jason Kidd pose for a photo at the Dallas Mavericks Practice Facility on June 27, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) dunks against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center on July 10, 2025.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) and forward Cooper Flagg (32) pose for a photo during the Mavericks 2025 media day at the American Airlines Center Sept. 29, 2025<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) warms up prior to a game against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center Oct. 11, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) follows through with a dunk against the Charlotte Hornets in the first half of a game at American Airlines Center on Oct. 11, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) leaves the court after the game against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center on Oct. 11, 2025.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) and San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) go for a loose ball during the second half at American Airlines Center on Oct. 22, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (1) and Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) react against the San Antonio Spurs during the second half at American Airlines Center on Oct. 22, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg celebrates during the game between the Mavericks and the Raptors at the American Airlines Center on Oct. 26, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg moves the ball to the basket during the game between the Mavericks and the Raptors at the American Airlines Center on Oct. 26, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg grabs the loose ball in front of Memphis Grizzlies guard John Konchar (46) during the game between the Mavericks and the Grizzlies at American Airlines Center Nov. 22, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 28, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg reacts after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Center on Dec. 3, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg is fouled by Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) during the first quarter at the American Airlines Center on Dec. 18, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (L) and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (R) swap jerseys after the game at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Dec. 20, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg points to his team bench as he celebrates scoring against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center on Dec. 23, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (left) greets guard Ryan Nembhard (right) before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Dec. 25, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

A view of the Christmas logo on the back of the jersey of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Dec. 25, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg walks out on the court during introductions before a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center on Dec. 29, 2025.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dunks the ball during the first quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the American Airlines Center on Jan. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

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See Cooper Flagg in action with Mavericks as top NBA rookie … so far<\/p>\n

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg brings the ball up court against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at the American Airlines Center on Jan. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) stands on the court before the start of the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center on Jan. 6, 2026.<\/p>\n

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Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg drives to the basket against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center on Jan. 10, 2026.<\/p>\n

Unique relationship spurs development<\/p>\n

The biggest element in that is MacKenzie, who now works for Flagg as a player development coach and advisor. Not only does the arrangement have the team\u2019s full blessing, MacKenzie said he acts as \u201can extension of the Mavericks coaching staff,\u201d and called the partnership \u201ccollaborative.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He splits time between Maine and Dallas, flying in for most home games, where he sits a few rows behind the bench.<\/p>\n

On any given game night, MacKenzie will show up to the arena before shootaround. He\u2019ll observe Flagg\u2019s mechanics and will connect briefly with Mavericks coaches to discuss film they had reviewed with Flagg. Then, MacKenzie may meet with Flagg to discuss any refinements.<\/p>\n

On off days, they may spend time in the gym for tune-up work.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis way, I can be another voice to complement what they\u2019re looking for,\u201d MacKenzie said. \u201cI\u2019m not somebody who\u2019s going to work against them, I\u2019m working with them. Just offering him a perspective, being in his ear if he has things he wants to talk about. If he wants somebody to lean on who will tell him the truth, he can come to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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On occasion, to help him navigate the nuances of being on the road, MacKenzie may even travel with Flagg, who turned 19 on Dec. 21. MacKenzie, after all, has known Flagg more than a third of his life, so he also acts as a trusted confidant off the court.<\/p>\n

\u201cMatt’s impact on me has been incredible,\u201d Flagg wrote in a testimonial on MacKenzie\u2019s website<\/a>. \u201cI wouldn’t be the player I am without him.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is somewhat atypical in the NBA, even for star players, though not necessarily unheard of. It\u2019s an arrangement that can carry some risk; if any secrecy or communication issues emerge, that can breed resentment or erode trust.<\/p>\n

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Ironically, Dallas had reportedly developed an issue over a comparable arrangement with its previous star. According to ESPN<\/a>, the Mavericks bristled when Luka Don\u010di\u0107 brought a team of health and performance staffers on his own expense to handle the majority of his treatment after the team fired former trainer Casey Smith in August 2023.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that this came under former general manager Nico Harrison<\/a>, whom the Mavericks fired Nov. 11<\/a>, and that Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s team reportedly disagreed about several decisions on Don\u010di\u0107\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

For an arrangement like this to succeed, all parties must be engaged, involved and invested in the same outcome, even if that means deferring.<\/p>\n

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\u201cA lot of times, I\u2019ll just stay out of the way,\u201d MacKenzie added. \u201cBut Cooper knows that I\u2019m within earshot. I can be there in just a minute if he needs me.\u201d<\/p>\n

So far, it\u2019s hard to argue with the results.<\/p>\n

1 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

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1 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg dunks the ball past the Toronto Raptors’ Sandro Mamukelashvili at the American Airlines Center.<\/p>\n

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Washington Wizards’ Cam Whitmore dunks the ball against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena.<\/p>\n

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 26: The Brooklyn Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. dunks in front of the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama at Frost Bank Center.<\/p>\n

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 25: The Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun dunks the ball against the Phoenix Suns’ Grayson Allen at Ball Arena.<\/p>\n

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 24: The Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. dunks against the Miami Heat at FedExForum.<\/p>\n

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 24: The Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo dunks over the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. at FedExForum.<\/p>\n

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 22: The New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby goes up for a reverse dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.<\/p>\n

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8 \/ 8<\/p>\n

Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents<\/p>\n

Oct. 22: The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen dunks against the Los Angeles Clippers at Delta Center.<\/p>\n

‘Perfect guy’ for where the NBA is going<\/p>\n

Through 39 games, Flagg is tied with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel<\/a> of the Charlotte Hornets<\/a> for most points per game among rookies (19.1); Flagg is also averaging 6.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.<\/p>\n

Flagg excels most in transition, where he can scoop rebounds and get into space, but he\u2019s supremely versatile. He also backs players down in the post just as easily as he laces mid-range jumpers.<\/p>\n

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\u201cCooper is the perfect example of: he can play any position, he can guard any position,\u201d Mavericks icon and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki told USA TODAY Sports. \u201cYou can never have enough 6-9 guys who can bring the ball up, put the offense in motion, get downhill at any time, spot up and shoot. He can set the pick-and-roll, but he can also run the pick-and-roll.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, he\u2019s a perfect guy for where this game is going. The scary thing to me is that the kid is only 19.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even scarier for the rest of the league is that Flagg is finding his rhythm, and it seemingly started with a challenge.<\/p>\n

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Before a Nov. 29 game at the Los Angeles Clippers<\/a>, MacKenzie was on site and met with Flagg after shootaround. Echoing feedback he had heard from Mavericks coaches, MacKenzie thought Flagg had been too passive on offense, so he challenged Flagg to take at least 16 shot attempts.<\/p>\n

Flagg finished that game, a 114-110 Dallas win<\/a>, with 35 points on 22 attempts, 16 of which came before halftime. All were career highs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the game he joked, he said, \u2018All right, what\u2019s my goal tomorrow?\u2019 \u201d MacKenzie recalled. \u201cGood things happen when he\u2019s assertive. Once in a while, he may turn the ball over, he may miss a shot, he may make a mistake. It\u2019s a process, and he\u2019s only a rookie.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis is going to be a marathon. The more he\u2019s willing to step out there, the more he\u2019s willing to make mistakes, the better he\u2019s going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since then, Flagg has averaged 22.4 points on 16.8 attempts over 20 games. By comparison, he had averaged 15.7 points on 13.5 shots through the season\u2019s first 19 games.<\/p>\n

Signs of steady growth<\/p>\n

Early this season, when Flagg was still 18, coach Jason Kidd started him several games at point guard. It was a test.<\/p>\n

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Though Flagg has now settled at wing, the Mavericks are encouraging him to discover his limitations, to embrace them, practically endorsing failure … in small doses.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t want any bad habits, but we want him to understand that there\u2019s going to be mistakes \u2013 we all make them \u2013 turnovers, fouls, missed defensive assignments,\u201d Kidd told USA TODAY Sports recently. \u201cBut we want him to learn from them. I think for someone who could be in his freshman year at college, he plays the game the right way and understands what his capabilities are here in the first couple of months. As time goes on, he\u2019s only going to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n

That has been evident, even this early, and even in the face of debilitating injuries to star teammates Kyrie Irving (torn anterior cruciate ligament) and Anthony Davis<\/a> (calf, groin, hand).<\/p>\n

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Without those two, opposing defenses target Flagg as the primary threat. Despite that, he has found different ways to impact winning. From handling the ball in the clutch, to crashing boards deep in games, to picking up primary defensive assignments, he\u2019s taking on more and more with each passing week:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s growing up faster than people think,\u201d Heat center Bam Adebayo said<\/a>. \u201cBy the end of the season, I feel like he\u2019s going to be one of them ones that\u2019s hard to guard cause he\u2019s going through those moments now early in the season.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Flagg is the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year. In the latest All-Star Game fan vote total, he ranked 16th, giving him the chance to break Kobe Bryant\u2019s record as the youngest All-Star in history (19 years, 169 days).<\/p>\n

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Flagg is succeeding, failing, adapting, growing. And he\u2019s leaning on those who helped him get here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just try to keep my people close to me,\u201d Flagg said recently. \u201cMy family and support, obviously, but I think the other part is being optimistic. It\u2019s a long season. We\u2019ve had a lot of guys step up through a lot of injuries, and there have been a lot of positives we\u2019ve been able to take from some of these games.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cooper Flagg NBA ascent with Mavericks boosted by unique arrangement<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"There\u2019s this somewhat unique arrangement Cooper Flagg has worked out with the Dallas Mavericks, but \u2013 to properly…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":408704,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[14727,14736,49,48,11002,2597,2695,56301,35474,44391,15047,1527,12887,172182,459,5726,82,19766],"class_list":["post-408703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-anthony-davis","tag-bam-adebayo","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-charlotte-hornets","tag-cooper-flagg","tag-dallas-mavericks","tag-dirk-nowitzki","tag-kobe-bryant","tag-kon-knueppel","tag-kyrie-irving","tag-los-angeles-clippers","tag-luka-doncic","tag-matt-mackenzie","tag-nba","tag-nuggets","tag-sports","tag-the-mavericks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=408703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408703\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/408704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=408703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=408703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=408703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}