Cooper Flagg Shines in Historic Rookie Start-But Social Media Turns Its Eyes to Twin Brother Ace
Cooper Flagg turned 19 over the weekend, but the celebration didn’t exactly go as expected. While the Dallas Mavericks rookie has been lighting up the NBA and rewriting the record books, social media had other plans. Instead of birthday tributes, the online spotlight shifted to his twin brother, Ace Flagg-and not in a way you’d call flattering.
It all started when a parody account on X (@HaterReport_) posted a side-by-side photo of the Flagg twins: one from childhood, the other from a recent basketball camp they hosted together. The caption?
A tongue-in-cheek jab that opened the floodgates for a wave of jokes aimed squarely at Ace. And in typical internet fashion, the comments didn’t hold back.
Fans chimed in with playful roasts:
- “He needs the nepotism contract like Bronny and Thanasis.”
- “They’re twins?!
Damn I feel bad for Ace 😭”
- “Buddy got the regenerative hairline & no vertical out of the family gene pool 😭😭”
- “How does your 18-year-old twin look 35?”
- “Bro was in the womb boxing out.”
- “Bro took the hairline and talent I’m crine 😭😭”
It’s the kind of viral moment that social media loves-where humor meets sports fandom, and a lesser-known sibling suddenly finds himself in the meme spotlight. But let’s not forget: Ace Flagg is out there grinding too.
While Cooper is making headlines in the pros, Ace is carving out his own path in college hoops. He plays forward for the Maine Black Bears, a Division I program in the America East Conference.
It’s been a tough season for the Black Bears, who currently sit at the bottom of the standings with a 1-13 record. Ace has had a limited role so far, averaging 4.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
No, those numbers don’t jump off the page like his brother’s, but it’s worth remembering that not every basketball journey follows the same script. Ace is still competing at the D-I level-no small feat-and doing so while carrying the last name that now comes with a heavy spotlight.
Meanwhile, Cooper Flagg’s rookie season is off to a jaw-dropping start. Drafted as the youngest player in the 2025 class, he spent nearly two full months playing at just 18 years old-and dominating.
In that time, he averaged 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, often looking like the Mavericks’ go-to option on the floor. He didn’t just meet expectations-he bulldozed right past them.
Flagg became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40+ points in a game and the youngest to record 10+ assists. He also racked up 526 total points as an 18-year-old, the third-most ever at that age, and tied the Mavericks’ rookie single-game scoring record with a 42-point performance.
It’s the kind of start that puts a franchise on notice and makes you rethink what’s possible for a teenager in the NBA. Cooper isn’t just a promising rookie-he’s already delivering like a future star.
So while Ace might be the butt of a few internet jokes this week, the bigger story here is the Flagg family’s rare double presence in high-level basketball. One twin is already making NBA history.
The other is grinding it out in college, with his own story still unfolding. And who knows-maybe the next viral moment will be Ace flipping the script.