Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg makes NBA history in win over Raptors
Cooper Flagg entered the 2025 NBA draft after a decorated one-and-done season at Duke in which he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, earning consensus National Player of the Year honors.
Flagg’s college profile, combined with efficient scoring, elite defensive play, and playmaking for his size (6-foot-9, 205 pounds), made him the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the draft and a generational prospect for the Dallas Mavericks.
His latest performance against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday proved why he deserves all of the attention.
In the Mavericks’ 139-29 victory over the Raptors, Flagg poured in 22 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one block, while committing zero turnovers.
This made him just the second player in league history at 18 years or younger to score at least 20 points while committing zero turnovers; the other was Kobe Bryant in 1997 in a game against the Sacramento Kings.
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In his first three regular-season appearances, Flagg has made an immediate impact, averaging 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 0.7 assists in 31.7 minutes per game.
While Sunday’s effort saw his best scoring output, he previously notched 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 24, and a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in his NBA debut on Oct. 22 versus the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite being just 18 years old, the Mavericks aren’t easing Flagg into things, with the former Blue Devil averaging the third-most minutes on the team (31.7), behind only Anthony Davis (35.0) and P.J. Washington (33.7).
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In contrast, Bryant’s 1996-97 rookie campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers was far more modest; he averaged 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 15.5 minutes across 71 games (six starts) after being selected 13th overall straight out of high school.
From there, he developed into an 18-time All-Star, five-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, the 2008 regular season MVP, and one of the greatest basketball players in history.
Comparing him to a legend like Bryant isn’t fair at this point in his career, but if Flagg’s early success has shown us anything, it’s that he’s more than capable of handling the pressure.
