Cooper Flagg is starting to look like the real deal-and fast. The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft just turned 19 on Sunday, but you wouldn’t know it by watching him on the court. He’s not just holding his own against the league’s elite-he’s making them take notice.
Tuesday night was another eye-opener. Flagg nearly delivered a 30-point triple-double, finishing with 33 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in a thrilling 131-130 win over Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets.
And this wasn’t some empty stat line in a blowout. This was a wire-to-wire battle with the reigning three-time MVP, and Flagg more than held his own.
Jokić, as usual, was brilliant-29 points, 14 assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. He had the Nuggets in position to steal the game at the buzzer, but Peyton Watson’s final shot rimmed out, and Dallas escaped with a narrow victory. After the game, Jokić didn’t hold back in his praise for the rookie phenom.
“He was definitely a hot hand out there,” Jokić said. “But just, I’m going to say the poise that he played with-he doesn’t feel like he’s so young out there.
He seems like he played meaningful games and he was winning before. That’s my opinion.
He looked really mature out there.”
That’s coming from arguably the best player in the world. And he’s not wrong.
Flagg’s numbers through 30 games tell a story of a player who’s quickly finding his rhythm: 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. His three-point shot is still developing-he’s hitting just 26.7% from deep-but he went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc against Denver, marking his best performance from long range so far. It’s not just the volume, it’s the timing-he’s hitting big shots in big moments.
And that 33-point outing wasn’t even his highest-scoring game. Back on December 15, Flagg dropped 42 points in an overtime loss to the Jazz, becoming the only 18-year-old in NBA history to score 40 or more in a game.
That performance felt like a coming-out party. Since then, he’s been on a tear, averaging 24.1 points per game in December.
The Mavericks, now 12-19, were floundering early in the season, but they’ve quietly turned things around with seven wins in their last 11. Flagg’s emergence has been the catalyst. Amidst front office turmoil-including the firing of GM Nico Harrison-Flagg has given the franchise a much-needed jolt of energy and direction.
Tuesday’s win over Denver wasn’t just another game. It was a statement.
Flagg didn’t just play well-he led. He controlled the pace, made the right reads, hit timely shots, and showed a level of composure that’s rare for a teenager in his first season.
The Mavericks still have plenty of work to do, but there’s no denying the shift. They’ve got a new face of the franchise, and he’s already earning respect from the league’s best.
Cooper Flagg isn’t just a promising young player. He’s already starting to look like a star.