Flagg is already a really good NBA player, but how does he stack up compared to his peers? ESPN ranked the top 25 players under 25 years old based on long-term potential, and had Cooper Flagg 8th, only behind Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Williams, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Evan Mobley.

Flagg didn’t get the top spot on that list. Flagg came in at No. 9 on ESPN’s list, directly behind Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley and directly ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren.

The historical context makes the performance even more notable. Several elite players entered the NBA as teenagers, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Tracy McGrady. None recorded a game with at least 20 points, five assists, and zero turnovers before turning 19.

DALLAS — Early in the 2025-26 season, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd surprised many by playing 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg at the point guard position. The results were far from ideal, as Flagg — who had primarily played forward previously — did not look especially comfortable at point guard.

Cooper Flagg was named the NBA’s Western Conference rookie of the month on Tuesday. The Dallas Mavericks forward became the team’s 13th player to win the award and first since Luka Doncic, who won the award five consecutive times in 2018-19.