Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg is a 19-year-old forward for the Dallas Mavericks, selected first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Maine native won the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year award after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.
Personal Information
Biography
Newport, Maine to No. 1 Pick
Cooper Flagg was born on December 21, 2006, in Newport, Maine — a town of roughly 3,000 people, 25 miles west of Bangor. Both parents were die-hard Boston Celtics fans who handed him DVDs of the 1985-86 Larry Bird Celtics before he was old enough to follow the box scores. He has a fraternal twin brother, Ace. By the start of 6th grade, Flagg stood over six feet tall. By 7th grade, he could dunk on a regulation hoop.
At Nokomis Regional High School, he averaged 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks as a freshman — then scored 22 points and pulled 16 rebounds in the Maine state championship game to win a title. He became the first freshman ever named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida, whose alumni include Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons, reclassified from the class of 2025 to 2024, and finished as the country's top-ranked recruit. He committed to Duke on October 30, 2023 — one day later than planned, after pushing the announcement out of respect following the Lewiston, Maine mass shootings on October 25.
One Season at Duke, Every Award
Flagg enrolled at Duke in June 2024 and played one season of college basketball. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. On January 11, 2025, against Notre Dame, he scored 42 points on 11-of-14 shooting, 4-of-6 from three, and 16-of-17 from the free throw line — setting both the Duke freshman scoring record and the ACC freshman scoring record in the same night. He became the first ACC player in 25 years to record 500-plus points, 100-plus assists, and 30-plus blocks in the regular season. Duke finished 35-4.
In the Final Four, Flagg posted 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks in a 70-67 loss to Houston. Duke did not reach the National Championship. He still won the Naismith Award, John Wooden Award, ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year, and Consensus National Player of the Year. He declared for the 2025 NBA Draft in April and was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks.
51 Points. The Records Begin.
Flagg arrived at a franchise in transition. The Mavericks had already traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, and Davis was traded to Washington in February 2026. Dallas was rebuilding around a teenager. The first 15 games were difficult: 15.5 points per game, limited spacing, visible adjustment. Over his final 55 games, he averaged 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.
On November 28, he became the youngest player in NBA history to record 10 assists in a game, surpassing LeBron James at 18 years and 343 days. On January 29, he scored 49 against Charlotte — the most points by any teenager in NBA history at that point. On April 3, he scored 51 against Orlando. Broke it again. On April 5, 45 against the Lakers. He became the first player since Michael Jordan to score consecutive 45-plus point games in a rookie year, and the first since Walt Bellamy in 1962 to do it in any season. He was the first teenager ever to score 50 points in an NBA game. He finished as the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984-85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Rookie of the Year at 19
The vote was closer than most expected. Kon Knueppel — Flagg's former Duke teammate — led the NBA in three-pointers and helped Charlotte to a 44-38 record. Flagg's Mavericks finished 26-56. In a ballot of 100 media members, Flagg received 56 first-place votes and 412 total points. Knueppel received 44 and 386. The 26-point margin was the second-smallest in the award's modern voting era.
Flagg said he was nervous: "It was probably one of the first times I won an award and I had to find out with everyone else." He added: "Me and Kon, we talked all year long. We never talked about the Rookie of the Year or what people were saying about it." Coach Jason Kidd was direct: "He carried a heavy load for us this year. He wasn't afraid of the challenge." Flagg's 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists placed him alongside Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Dončić as the only rookies in 50 seasons to average those numbers. He became the third Maverick to win NBA Rookie of the Year, joining Jason Kidd in 1995 and Dončić in 2019, and the second-youngest winner in the award's history, behind LeBron James.
What Year Two Demands
Dallas finished 12th in the Western Conference with a 26-56 record. The Mavericks hold 8th-best odds in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, with a chance at additional young talent to build alongside Flagg. Kyrie Irving is expected back for 2026-27, which will create the floor spacing that was largely absent all season. Flagg's 29.5% three-point shooting and 2.3 turnovers per game are the documented areas needing improvement. His improvement arc — from 15.5 points in his first 15 games to 23 over his final 55 — suggests both are fixable. He posted the second-most assists by an 18-year-old in NBA history, 99 total, behind only LeBron James, and ranked 4th all-time in rebounds among 18-year-olds, ahead of Dwight Howard. At 19 years old, Cooper Flagg is already Rookie of the Year, unanimous All-Rookie First Team, and the holder of NBA records no teenager had touched before him.
FAQs About Cooper Flagg
How old is Cooper Flagg?
Cooper Flagg was born on December 21, 2006, making him 19 years old as of June 2026. He will turn 20 on December 21, 2026.
How tall is Cooper Flagg?
Cooper Flagg stands 6 feet 9 inches (2.06m) tall and weighs 205 lbs, per his official NBA.com profile. He also has a 7-foot (2.13m) wingspan.
Is Cooper Flagg hurt?
Flagg ended the 2025-26 regular season with a left ankle injury, exiting the final game against the Chicago Bulls early. The Mavericks have not announced any timeline for the offseason recovery as of June 2026.
Is Cooper Flagg playing in March Madness?
Cooper Flagg played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament with Duke, reaching the Final Four before a 70-67 loss to Houston. He declared for the NBA Draft in April 2025 and is no longer eligible for college basketball.
Is Cooper Flagg staying at Duke?
No. Cooper Flagg played one season at Duke in 2024-25, then declared for the 2025 NBA Draft in April 2025. He was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks and signed his rookie contract in July 2025.
What position does Cooper Flagg play?
Cooper Flagg plays forward for the Dallas Mavericks, wearing jersey number 32. Basketball Reference lists him as a Small Forward, while during his rookie season he also operated as a point-forward and primary ball handler.
Did Cooper Flagg go to college?
Yes. Cooper Flagg attended Duke University for one season (2024-25), averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. He won the Naismith Award, Wooden Award, and Consensus National Player of the Year before entering the NBA Draft.
Where did Cooper Flagg go to high school?
Cooper Flagg attended Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine for his freshman year, then transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. Montverde's alumni include Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons.
Does Cooper Flagg have a twin brother?
Yes. Cooper Flagg has a fraternal twin brother named Ace Flagg, also born December 21, 2006. Ace is a basketball player who completed his freshman season at the University of Maine in 2025-26.
How good is Cooper Flagg?
In his 2025-26 rookie season, Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, winning the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year award. He set multiple all-time NBA teenage records, including the first 50-point game ever scored by a teenager and the most points by a rookie in a single game (51).
Is Cooper Flagg returning to Duke?
No. Cooper Flagg declared for the 2025 NBA Draft after his freshman season at Duke and was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks. He has no remaining college eligibility and is under a four-year NBA rookie contract.
Who does Cooper Flagg play for?
Cooper Flagg plays for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He was selected by Dallas with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and wears jersey number 32.
Does Cooper Flagg have a girlfriend?
No official information about Cooper Flagg's relationship status has been confirmed through verified public sources as of June 2026. He has not publicly addressed this topic in documented interviews.
What happened to Cooper Flagg?
Cooper Flagg completed his 2025-26 rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks, winning the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year award and unanimous All-Rookie First Team honors. He ended the season early with a left ankle injury suffered in the final regular-season game against the Chicago Bulls.
Is Cooper Flagg going to the draft?
Cooper Flagg already entered the NBA Draft. He declared for the 2025 NBA Draft in April 2025 after one season at Duke and was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks on June 25, 2025.
Where did Cooper Flagg get drafted?
Cooper Flagg was drafted first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft, held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on June 25, 2025. He signed his rookie contract with Dallas on July 2, 2025.
What number is Cooper Flagg?
Cooper Flagg wears jersey number 32 for the Dallas Mavericks. He has worn this number since joining the team following the 2025 NBA Draft.
Why does Cooper Flagg wear 32?
No official public statement from Cooper Flagg confirming the specific reason he chose number 32 has been verified as of June 2026. No confirmed explanation is available from official sources.
When is Cooper Flagg coming back?
Cooper Flagg's return refers to the start of the 2026-27 NBA season, expected in October 2026. He ended the 2025-26 season with a left ankle injury, but no official recovery timeline or concern about his availability for next season has been announced by the Mavericks.
Did Cooper Flagg get traded?
No. Cooper Flagg has not been traded. He remains under a four-year, $62.7 million rookie contract with the Dallas Mavericks through the 2028-29 season, with team options in years three and four.
Is Cooper Flagg injured?
Cooper Flagg sustained a left ankle injury during the final regular-season game of 2025-26 against the Chicago Bulls and did not return. As of June 2026, no official update on the severity or recovery timeline has been issued by the Mavericks.
What shoes does Cooper Flagg wear?
Cooper Flagg wears New Balance basketball shoes under an endorsement deal he signed prior to his freshman season at Duke in 2024. He chose New Balance in part due to the brand's ties to Maine, where two of their factories are located near his hometown of Newport.
How long is Cooper Flagg out for?
Cooper Flagg's left ankle injury from the final game of the 2025-26 season is an offseason matter. No official recovery timeline or missed-games projection for the 2026-27 season has been confirmed by the Dallas Mavericks as of June 2026.
How much does Cooper Flagg make?
Cooper Flagg signed a four-year, $62,730,226 rookie contract with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2025, per Spotrac. His Year 1 salary was approximately $13.8 million, with Year 2 at $14,517,480. The deal includes $28.34 million in guaranteed money, with team options in years three and four.
Career Timeline
Led Nokomis Regional High School to the Class A state title as a freshman, scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 43–27 championship win over Falmouth High School.
Became the first freshman in history to win the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year award, averaging 20.5 PPG, 10 RPG, 6.2 APG, 3.7 SPG and 3.7 BPG.
Left Nokomis Regional after exhausting local competition and transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida, one of the most elite basketball programs in the country.
Represented USA in the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup, delivering a standout performance that elevated his national recruiting ranking from 3rd to 2nd in his class.
Reclassified from the class of 2025 to 2024 during the summer after his sophomore year at Montverde, fast-tracking his path to college and the NBA Draft.
Verbally committed to Duke University on October 30, 2023, after also considering UConn. He pushed his original October 27 announcement date out of respect following the Lewiston, Maine mass shootings.
Named the Gatorade National Player of the Year on March 27, 2024 — the highest individual honor in high school basketball — after leading Montverde to a perfect 34–0 record and a national championship.
Selected as a McDonald's All-American in 2024, one of the most prestigious honors in high school basketball, recognizing him as one of the top senior players in the country.
Won both Mr. Basketball USA and the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award in 2024, sweeping the major national high school player of the year honors in his senior season.
Finished as the consensus number one ranked recruit in the entire 2024 class, the highest individual recruiting distinction in college basketball.
At age 17, became the first college player invited to the USA Basketball Select Team since 2013, scrimmaging against the full Olympic roster including LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant in Las Vegas on July 7–8, 2024.
Scored 42 points against Notre Dame on January 11, 2025 — shooting 11/14 FG, 4/6 3PT, 16/17 FT — setting both the Duke University and ACC all-time freshman single-game scoring records.
Became the first ACC player in 25 years to record 500+ points, 100+ assists, and 30+ blocks in a single regular season, finishing the Duke campaign averaging 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, and 4.2 APG.
Won both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year in the same season, joining Zion Williamson, Marvin Bagley III, and Jahlil Okafor as the only players in conference history to achieve this double.
Won the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award in 2025, becoming only the fourth freshman ever to win the Naismith Award, joining Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson.
Named Consensus National Player of the Year by five of the six NCAA-recognized organizations, including the AP, USBWA, NABC, Wooden, and Naismith.
Named East Region Most Outstanding Player after scoring 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists in Duke's Sweet 16 win over Arizona — the first NCAA Tournament performance ever with 30+ points, 7+ assists, 6+ rebounds, and 3+ blocks.
Selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Dallas converted a 1.8% lottery odds into the top pick to select Flagg.
Signed a four-year, $62,730,226 rookie contract with the Dallas Mavericks on July 2, 2025, with $28,343,400 guaranteed and team options in years three and four.
Made his NBA debut on October 22, 2025 against the San Antonio Spurs, recording 10 points and 10 rebounds while starting at point guard — the first of many historic performances in his rookie season.
On November 28, 2025, became the youngest player in NBA history to record 10 assists in a single game at 18 years and 343 days old, surpassing LeBron James by 12 days.
On November 29, 2025, scored a then-career-high 35 points against the LA Clippers in a 114–110 Mavericks win, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to score 35+ points in a game, surpassing LeBron James.
Scored 49 points against the Charlotte Hornets on January 29, 2026 — setting the NBA all-time record for most points scored by a teenager in a single game at that point in history.
Reached 1,000 career NBA points on March 5, 2026 against Orlando at age 19 years and 74 days — the second-youngest player in NBA history to reach the milestone, behind only LeBron James (19 years, 41 days).
Scored 51 points against the Orlando Magic on April 3, 2026 — the most points ever scored by a teenager in NBA history, breaking his own record, and the most points ever scored by a rookie in a single game.
Became the first teenager in NBA history to score 50 or more points in a single game with his 51-point performance against Orlando on April 3, 2026.
Finished the 2025-26 season as the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984-85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in the same season.
Won the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year award with 56 first-place votes and 412 total points, becoming the third Maverick to win the award after Jason Kidd (1995) and Luka Dončić (2019), and the second-youngest winner in history behind LeBron James.
Named to the 2025-26 NBA All-Rookie First Team as a unanimous selection on May 21, 2026 — the first Mavericks player to earn this honor since Luka Dončić.
