FROM DUKE TO DALLAS, WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN
Cooper Flagg didn't need an adjustment period. He needed a jersey.
Born December 21, 2006, Flagg is 19 years old — and already the centerpiece of the Dallas Mavericks. After a freshman season at Duke where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists and was named consensus national player of the year, he was selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
He made his NBA debut on October 22, 2025. Then he did what great rookies do: he got better every month.
By the end of the 2025-26 season, Flagg had won Rookie of the Year, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 70 games. Those aren't "good for a teenager" numbers. Those are franchise-player numbers.
WHAT'S NEXT IS ALREADY HAPPENING
Flagg opened the 2026-27 season with a record 32 points in a season opener as a teenager — a reminder that his story isn't about potential anymore. It's about production, right now, on one of the biggest stages in basketball.
For ALREADY! readers, Flagg is the blueprint: a young player who didn't wait his turn, didn't shrink from the No. 1 pick spotlight, and didn't let age become an excuse or a ceiling.
Join the conversation.
Keep it respectful. Comments are reviewed before appearing publicly. Please don’t share personal contact details.