It seems Cooper Flagg loves his alma mater, Duke, so much that he’s finding a new love interest at school.

Over the past few years, Flagg has been winning big in life. Three years ago, he was the most sought-after high school player in the country. He then parlayed his success into a massive void deal with college basketball powerhouse Duke in 2024 and leading them to the national championship game.

Last year, he was taken No. 1 overall in the NBA draft. And while the Dallas Mavericks had a rough season during his NBA debut, the 19-year-old looked like a future superstar. Led the Mavs in points (21.0) and steals (1.2) and earned 2025–26 Rookie of the Year honors.

As a teenage millionaire the world is truly his oyster, and he certainly has countless suitors who would love to know about Dallas and be seen with the new NBA star. However, this week it was confirmed that Flagg has a new girlfriend, and it’s not an actress, supermodel or social media influencer.

Ariana Roberson confirms she’s dating fellow Duke alumnus Cooper Flagg

On Thursday, Ariana Roberson surprisingly confirmed the relationship between herself and Flagg in a new TikTok post, which showed the pair having a little fun over the holidays. What’s interesting about the couple is that Flagg is a Duke alumnus, while Roberson, 20, currently plays for the women’s basketball team.

Flagg posted a separate Instagram Story late last night that took things a little further and showed the pair in a lip lock.

Roberson was a five-star recruit out of Texas who earned McDonald’s All-American honors as she led Clark High School to a state title. Playing just 18 minutes during his first season, the 6-foot-4 player averaged 8.0 points, 5.7 boards and 1.3 blocks per night. She’ll certainly play an even bigger role in her sophomore season.

After earning a journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos worked as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sacca… More about Jason Burgos

隨著達拉斯小牛隊球星庫珀新秀成為年度最佳新秀候選人，毫無疑問他和夏洛特黃蜂隊的康·克努佩爾之間正在進行一場大規模的辯論。當人們繼續爭論小牛隊前鋒和黃蜂隊充滿活力的射手之間的年度新秀之爭是否勢均力敵時，主教練傑森·基德深入分析了為什麼他的球員應該獲得認可。

在理查德·傑弗森的“Road Trippin Show”中，基德打來電話，並被要求說明為什麼弗拉格應該超越克努佩爾成為本賽季聯盟年度最佳新秀。基德提出的令人大開眼界的觀點之一是，克努佩爾是夏洛特的“拼圖中的一塊”，而弗拉格“就是拼圖”。

「我不需要做一個案子。他已經完成了所有艱苦的工作；他已經提供了數據，」基德說。 「我們唯一沒有做的就是作為一個團隊贏得勝利。所以，你知道，我認為我們看看數據，他度過了一個歷史性的新秀賽季。沒有什麼可以對抗克努佩爾。他是黃蜂隊的一塊拼圖；庫珀是拼圖。所以，我真的相信他應該獲得年度最佳新秀。這並沒有給克努佩爾球帶來比克努佩爾也帶來了偉大的名字。

賈森基德 (Jason Kidd) 發表 ROTY 對話 👀

“[Cooper Flagg] 度過了一個歷史性的新秀賽季。克努佩爾沒什麼好反對的，他是黃蜂隊的一塊拼圖。庫柏就是一個謎……它比起只投三分大一點。 」

（透過 @RoadTrippinShow） pic.twitter.com/LGdCEnq8ch

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2026 年 4 月 10 日

可能阻礙小牛隊庫柏弗拉格的原因之一

雖然有些人可能會說基德自從執教弗拉格以來就存在明顯的偏見，但不可否認的是，這位達拉斯新秀的表現令人印象深刻，場均貢獻 21 分、6.7 個籃板和 4.6 次助攻，投籃命中率為 46.7%。

克努佩爾場均貢獻18.7分、5.3籃板和3.4助攻，投籃命中率為47.8%，三分命中率為42.9%，最新數據與弗拉格的29.2%相比。

然而，正如基德所提到的，小牛隊並沒有取得太多勝利，因為在周五對陣聖安東尼奧馬刺隊的比賽還剩兩場比賽時，球隊戰績為 25 勝 55 負。夏洛特目前已鎖定參加錦標賽的席位。

由於達拉斯小牛隊的 2025-26 賽季在很大程度上令人失望，新秀庫珀·弗拉格是為數不多的亮點之一，這說明了他為何成為 2025 年 NBA 選秀的狀元秀。隨著小牛隊的明星新秀弗拉格成為 NBA 年度最佳新秀 (ROTY) 榮譽的熱門人選，夏洛特黃蜂隊的康·克努佩爾現在取代了這個位置，引起了主教練賈森·基德的注意。

諷刺的是，兩位前杜克大學隊友正在為 ROTY 而戰，克努佩爾這一年表現令人印象深刻，場均 19.1 分、5,3 個籃板和 3.5 次助攻，投籃命中率為 48.9%，三分命中率為 43.8%。另一方面，弗拉格場均貢獻20.4分、6.6個籃板和4.6次助攻，投籃命中率為47.4%。

基德會被問到達拉斯是否必須幫助弗拉格捕捉羅蒂。

據布拉德湯森德介紹，基德說：“是的，我認為組織關注這一點是當務之急。”

「但這不僅僅是組織，」基德繼續說道。 「這是一種夥伴關係，庫柏必須能夠盡自己的職責。他正在盡自己的職責。作為新秀，他度過了歷史性的一年。當你將他的數據與過去獲得該獎項的新秀進行比較時，很明顯，他距離贏得年度最佳新秀還差得很遠。”

小牛隊的賈森·基德談庫珀·弗拉格對陣康·克努佩爾

不可否認，該獎項將落在兩位前杜克大學隊友身上，他們都給人留下了深刻的印象，但有人可能會說，選民可以看看獲勝的影響。小牛隊24勝50負，賽季已經結束，夏洛特目前是東部第八號種子，正在爭奪季後賽席位。

「每個人對投票、受歡迎程度和趨勢都有自己的看法，」基德說。 “所以沒有什麼可以反對克納佩爾隊的。他這個賽季表現得很出色。但是當你看看數據時……庫珀的表現和其他人一樣好。”

誰能獲得 ROTY 還有待觀察，目前弗拉格和克努佩爾是前兩名。

As the NBA season comes to a close, the Dallas Mavericks are looking for a win. Mavericks rookie phenom Cooper Flagg gives flowers to a teammate. Flag forward Khris Middleton says have made their mark On the Dallas squad.

“He’s great. I’ve learned a lot from Khris. He’s a professional scorer. He’s been in this league a long time, and like I said, just a professional scorer, so I’m trying to pick up some parts of that side of the game from him and what I can learn in those aspects of the game, and he has a lot to teach me. So, I’m excited to be able to learn from him,” Flagg said, according to FanSided.

Cooper Flagg on considering Khris Middleton as one of his legends:

“He’s great. I’ve learned a lot from Khris. He’s a professional scorer. He’s been in this league a long time, and like I said, just a professional scorer, so just trying to pick up some of that side of the game… pic.twitter.com/GmCcbcg29D

– Noah Weber (@noahweber00) 24 March 2026

This season, Middleton is averaging just over 11 points per game for Dallas. After coming over in a trade from the Washington Wizards, he appeared in 20 games for the Mavericks.

On March 12, Middleton played one of the best games of his career. He scored 35 points for Dallas in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Mavericks fans hope he can continue that production.

Meanwhile, Flagg is averaging 20 points per game as a rookie for the Mavericks. He was number one. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Despite battling injuries, the rookie has quickly become the face of the Mavericks.

Dallas is 23-49 this season. Overall it has been a tough campaign for this rebuilding Mavericks team, which is still getting acclimated to life without Luka Doncic.

The Mavericks have lost four consecutive games. They hope to snap their losing streak when they next face the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was the closest player to Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody when he suffered a horrific injury Monday at American Airlines Center.

In overtime, Moody was going up for a dunk alone when his knee twisted. The bullet missed him and he fell on the floor. Flagg was running closest to him when this horrific incident happened.

The fans applauded warmly as Moody was pulled from the floor. It was his first game back after missing 10 games with a wrist injury.

The Mavericks lost to the Warriors 137–131.

In the post-game conference, Flagg shared his initial perspective on Moody’s knee injury, while also expressing his support.

“I can’t really tell. His leg has kind of given out. But it’s hard, and I’m praying for him and everything he’s going through. It’s horrible. But yeah, just praying for him,” Flagg said in a video posted by AB Jones of DLLS Sports.

The 19-year-old Flagg finished with 32 points, four rebounds, nine assists and two steals. Meanwhile, Moody, 23, had 23 points, three rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.

The Mavericks also lost a key player after Daniel Gafford left with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter. He could be considered questionable for their game against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

The flag went viral after the loss to the Warriors as fans reacted to video of the rookie sensation showing extreme confidence in Nazi Marshall’s game-winning effort.

The Mavericks suffered their fourth consecutive loss and fell to 23–49, while the Warriors improved to 34–38.

The Dallas Mavericks lost 137-131 in overtime to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, handing them their fourth consecutive loss on the stretch campaign.

The Mavericks, who lost Daniel Gafford to a shoulder injury, suffered their 12th consecutive loss at the American Airlines Center, the team’s longest winning streak at the said venue.

Dallas had a chance to win in regulation, but Najee Marshall missed an open three-pointer with 2.5 seconds remaining. The game reached 126-126.

Marshall received a perfect pass from Cooper Flagg, drawing multiple defenders on his way to the paint. Flagg was seen yelling, “Take me home!” Like Marshall let it fly. Unfortunately, this closed down Nami.

Cooper Flagg gave the game winning shot to Nazi Marshall and he was confident that he would make the shot

“Take me home”

(h/t @MavsMuse) pic.twitter.com/B1JwYJFV6f

– FullCourtPass (@FullCourtPass) 24 March 2026

The moment quickly went viral, drawing various reactions from fans on X.

@king1sed said, “He went up for the high five even after the (flag) miss. Great leadership.”

@Raise_The_Flagg said, “He read the Nazi correctly.”

@jjfr0mgoodtimes posted, “LMFAO, he must have thought he was Clay (Thompson) because there’s no way you can trust a Nazi marshal that much going in.”

“Nazi said, ‘But not going home yet,'” joked @Oz_Chima.

@heyitsrosexx wrote, “Imagine being a veteran and having a 19-year-old ask you to take the winning shot. The leadership Flagg is showing makes me think he’s the real missing piece for this roster.”

@ainternetfrog said, “I don’t know why he didn’t take a (flag) shot. He had clean mid-range off the dribble.”

Flagg led the Mavericks with 32 points, four rebounds, nine assists and two steals, while Marshall had 16 points, six rebounds and seven assists. However, they combined for 15 of the team’s 21 turnovers.

Marshall is averaging a career-high 51.9% from the field this season, but only 30.2% from long range.

Still, the confidence that Flagg has shown in Marshall is a step in the right direction. Confidence-building always pays off.

The Dallas Mavericks are currently looking towards their second consecutive season in the NBA lottery after their 2024 NBA Finals appearance. Things went pretty well for Dallas the last time he was there, as the team landed the number one overall pick Cooper Flagg, who is currently in the running with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Another former Duke player on the Dallas roster is point guard Kyrie Irving, who will miss this season recovering from ACL surgery.

In his absence, the Mavericks have predictably lost some games, but recently, Flagg revealed how Irving has taken on a leadership role despite being on the sidelines.

“He stepped in like a great vet for me and gave me guidance there because there were definitely times when I was shaken up,” Flagg said via Ron Harrod Jr. of the Dallas Mavs on Twitter, according to ESPN’s NBA Today. “I had never lost so much in my life. But to hear him say that and tell me that I’m doing everything I need to do and to just stick with it and stay positive, it definitely helped me a lot.”

Flagg became accustomed to winning during his time as a high school standout and college freshman star, but that has stopped in the NBA, as Dallas opted to blow things up at the trade deadline by trading Anthony Davis.

The expectation is that the Mavericks will be able to add a flag in this year’s lottery and another high-level talent to pair with a healthy Irving next year, creating a potential contender in the West.

Clearly, Irving is still finding ways to stay busy despite his struggles this season.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has learned a lot this season. Amid a stellar 2025-26 season that led to his Rookie of the Year candidacy, Flagg recorded his 25th 20+ point game in a 138-135 loss against the Cleveland Cavs on Friday. This set a new NBA record, surpassing Hall of Fame guard Kobe Bryant’s record for most 20+ point games by a teenager.

flag Reflecting on her rookie season During his postgame media availability following Friday’s three-point loss to the Cavs, according to AB Jones of DLLS Sports.

“I’ve learned a lot about myself throughout this year. About the game of basketball. About the people around me,” Flagg said. “I feel like I’ve learned a lot about life. It’s been a big year of learning for me, and I’ve had to mature a lot. So it’s been a good year.”

Cooper Flagg says he not only learned a lot during his up-and-down rookie season with the Mavericks, but also matured a lot throughout the year.

“Throughout this year I’ve learned a lot about myself. About the game of basketball. About the people around me. I think I’ve… pic.twitter.com/RYKgfOzjPG

– Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) 14 March 2026

Cooper finished with 25 points on 8-for-16 shooting, five assists and four rebounds.

Mark Stein at Cooper Flag in ROTY Race

In a tight MVP race with the Hornets’ Kon Knueppel, Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg’s chances to win the award remain strong, but is there more that can be done to improve his chances? NBA insider Marc Stein recently addressed that very question by looking at the Mavericks’ chances of winning the lottery.

Additionally, the Hornets have emerged as a playoff team, and Knueppel is a key part of that. As Steen said, with the Mavericks’ season coming to an end, Flagg’s chances of winning Rookie of the Year may remain bleak, according to The All-NBA Podcast.

“The Mavs have 18 games left, and the truth is, if they can go 0-18, that would be the best thing for them. That’s the way the system is,” Steen said on the All-NBA Podcast. “The way the system is structured, the best thing for the Mavs is to lose, and lose royally, and that’s obviously not going to be great if you’re chasing Rookie of the Year.”

The Mavs will face the Cavs in a rematch on Sunday.

Cooper Flagg broke Kobe Bryant’s NBA record after his performance in the Dallas Mavericks’ 138-105 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

Flagg is spending the first season of his career with the Mavericks. After a slow start, he has made serious progress as he continues to live up to expectations as one of the best rookies in the draft.

In the running for the Rookie of the Year award this season, Flagg has continued to put in incredible performances that promise Dallas’ long-term potential. After the team’s latest game against Cleveland, the young forward achieved another record in NBA history.

In 29 minutes of action, Flagg finished with a stat line of 25 points, five assists and four rebounds. He made 8 of 16 shots from the field, including 1 of 3 from beyond the arc and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line.

Flagg recorded a 20-point game for the 25th time this season, having already achieved the record at the age of 19. He surpassed Bryant for most 20-point games by a teenager in NBA history.

Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg has passed Kobe Bryant for most 20+ point games by a teenager in NBA history.

🔸Cooper Flag: 25 20+ point games
🔸Kobe Bryant: 24 20+ point games

Every night he takes the court, he shows why he is one of the brightest young stars in the world… pic.twitter.com/tqkwYovZCt

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 March 2026

Cooper Flagg, how the Mavericks played against the Cavaliers

Cooper Flagg’s historic efforts were not enough as the Cavaliers’ offense was too much for the Mavericks in a blowout loss at home.

Five players, including Flagg, scored in double figures for Dallas in the loss. Najee Marshall came in next with a solid performance of 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists and one steal. He made 7 of 12 shots overall, including 2 of 4 from downtown and 1 of 4 from the charity stripe. Max Christie had 12 points, Brandon Williams added 12 points and three assists, while Dwight Powell provided 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Dallas fell to a 22–45 record on the season and finished 12th in the Western Conference standings. They are above the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz while trailing the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers.

The Mavericks will look to bounce back in their next match at home. They will host the Cavaliers in a rematch as tip-off will take place on March 15 at 3:30 PM ET.

周五，克利夫兰骑士队客场挑战达拉斯小牛队。对于多诺万·米切尔来说，他希望 维持他一周的卓越表现。

在第二节，米切尔就是这么做的。还剩8分50秒时，骑士队42-33领先小牛队。库珀·弗拉格试图在弧顶传球。然而，米切尔就在那里拦截。

当他走向另一端时，米切尔 运用到完美 他的 商标风车移动 根据 ClutchPoints 的数据，对阵弗拉格上篮。

多诺万·米切尔 (Donovan Mitchell) 在库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 上空打出了他标志性的风车聚集 😮‍💨🔥pic.twitter.com/aW3bBKzN6l

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 2026 年 3 月 14 日

到目前为止，米切尔已经打了58场比赛。此外，他场均贡献28.3分和5.8次助攻。与此同时，骑士队战绩为40胜26负，排在东部第四，并且在过去的十场比赛中平分秋色。

此外，弗拉格在因脚伤连续缺席八场比赛后正在复出。尽管如此，弗拉格仍然 NBA年度最佳新秀的热门人选。

与此同时，米切尔最近 因腹股沟受伤缺席四场比赛。米切尔自 2022 年以来一直效力于骑士队。他目前正在克利夫兰度过他的第四个赛季。

2023年至2026年，米切尔作为骑士队成员入选NBA全明星阵容。 2024 年 7 月，米切尔 签署为期三年、价值 1.503 亿美元的续约合同 与克利夫兰。

周日，骑士队将在主场再次迎战小牛队。随后，他们将在周二客场对阵密尔沃基雄鹿队。周四，骑士队将前往芝加哥迎战公牛队。

然后他们将在客场对阵新奥尔良鹈鹕队结束本周的比赛。

The Cleveland Cavaliers visit the Dallas Mavericks on Friday. For Donovan Mitchell, he was looking maintain his week of excellence.

Mitchell did the same in the second quarter. With 8:50 left, the Cavaliers led the Mavericks 42–33. Cooper Flagg attempted to pass the ball at the top of the key. However, Mitchell was there for the interception.

As he moved towards the other end, Mitchell used to perfection His trademark windmill trick Against the flag for a layup, according to ClutchPoints.

Donovan Mitchell assembles his signature windmill atop the Cooper Flag 😮‍💨🔥pic.twitter.com/aW3bBKzN6l

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 14 March 2026

Mitchell has played 58 matches so far. Additionally, he averages 28.3 points and 5.8 assists per game. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers are 40-26, in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings, and have dropped their last ten games.

Additionally, Flagg is returning after missing eight straight games with a foot injury. Still, the flag remains Odds-on favorites for NBA Rookie of the Year.

Meanwhile, Michelle recently Missed four games due to back injury. Mitchell is with the Cavaliers through 2022. He is currently playing his fourth season in Cleveland.

From 2023 to 2026, Mitchell was selected to the NBA All-Star team as a member of the Cavaliers. In July 2024, Michelle Signed a three-year, $150.3 million contract extension With Cleveland.

On Sunday, the Cavaliers will face the Mavericks again at home. Next, they play on the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. On Thursday, the Cavaliers travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls.

They will then finish the week against the New Orleans Pelicans.

康·克努佩尔和库珀·弗拉格是他们班上最好的两名新秀，自从在杜克大学效力以来，他们在比赛中取得了很大的进步。但这两人的联系超出了篮球的范围，这位夏洛特黄蜂队后卫透露了他与达拉斯小牛队前锋的友谊动态中的一件非常有趣的事情。

在瑞恩·鲁西略播客上的露面中，这位黄蜂队新秀揭示了每当他追上他的前杜克队友时，篮球是如何很少（如果有的话）被提起的。

“当我们谈论篮球时，更多的是关于你住在哪里？你的家人多久去那里一次？你过得怎么样？你知道，这类事情。这很酷而且持久，”克努佩尔分享道。

在友谊中，谈论商业话题是叙旧的一部分。但对于克努佩尔来说，他知道他与弗拉格的友谊不仅仅集中在他们的生计上。他们是终生的朋友，从大学时代起就结下不解之缘，黄蜂队后卫似乎很高兴他与弗拉格有这样的友谊。

黄蜂队的康·克努佩尔和小牛队的库珀·弗拉格争夺新秀霸主地位

目前，Knueppel 看起来是 2026 年年度新秀奖的领跑者。首先，他在黄蜂队本赛季的大部分时间里表现稳定且健康。此外，黄蜂队一直在打赢球；虽然他们的得分再次跌破 0.500，但他们一开始就进入季后赛这一事实是一个巨大的胜利。

与此同时，弗拉格经历了更多的成长阵痛，也因伤缺席了更多的比赛。小牛队作为乐透球队也可能不利于他赢得年度最佳新秀奖。

无论情况如何，这都是事实：克努佩尔和弗拉格知道有很多比篮球更重要的事情，他们的友谊就是其中之一。

Con Knueppel and Cooper Flagg have been two of the best rookies in their class, and have made great strides in their games since their days at Duke. But the bond the two of them have goes beyond basketball, with the Charlotte Hornets guard revealing a very interesting thing about his friendship with the Dallas Mavericks forward.

In an appearance on The Ryan Russillo Podcast, the Hornets rookie highlighted why basketball is rarely mentioned whenever he meets up with his former Duke teammates.

“When we talk it’s less about basketball and more about where you’re living? How often does your family come over? How are you? You know, those types of things. Which is nice and sustainable,” Knueppel shared.

In friendship, shop talk is part of catching up. But for Knueppel, he knows his friendship with Flagg isn’t just focused on their livelihood. They are lifelong friends who have been connected to each other since their college days, and the Hornets guard is very happy that he has such a friendship with Flagg.

Hornets’ Kon Knueppel and Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg compete for rookie supremacy

At this point, Knueppel looks to be the front-runner for the 2026 Rookie of the Year award. For starters, he has been consistent and healthy for the Hornets for most of the season. Furthermore, the Hornets are playing winning basketball; Although they’ve fallen below .500 once again, the fact that they’ve been in the playoff picture to begin with is a big win.

Meanwhile, Flagg has faced growing pains, and has missed a lot of playing time due to injuries. The Mavericks being a lottery team may also be at a disadvantage in terms of winning the Rookie of the Year award.

Whatever the case, this much is true: Knueppel and Flagg know there are things bigger than basketball, and their friendship is one of them.

Even before the start of the 2025–26 season, Cooper was the favorite to win the Flagg Rookie of the Year award. A good opportunity awaits him with the Dallas Mavericks, as after the Luka Doncic trade, he has a chance to step up immediately and become the superstar talent the team needs to develop. And for its price, the Flag is as good as advertised, if not better.

While Flagg’s averages of 20.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season are certainly good enough for him to win the prestigious award, Kon Nueppel’s consistency for a much-improved Charlotte Hornets team could take the award away from the Mavericks star.

NBA insider Mark Stein, who has many ties to the Mavericks, also believes that the conflict between what is best for Dallas at the end of the year and what is best for Flagg from a personal standpoint could hinder Flagg’s ROTY candidacy.

“The Mavs have 18 games left, and the truth is, if they can go 0-18 it would be the best thing for them. That’s the way the system is,” Steen said on the All NBA Podcast. “The way the system is structured, the best thing for the Mavs is to lose, and lose royally, and that’s obviously not going to be very good if you’re chasing Rookie of the Year.”

Mavs face crucial year in Cooper Flagg-focused rebuild

As Steen said, 2026 is the last time the Mavericks control their first-round pick until 2031. It simply means Dallas has all the incentive in the world to try to lose as many games as possible to put itself in a better position to add a blue-chip prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft.

This will be the priority of the team. It is imperative for Flagg to acquire a potential long-term co-star if he is to bounce back from the Luka Doncic tragedy.

The Dallas Mavericks and Toronto Raptors face each other for an interesting showdown north of the border at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Sunday.

The Mavericks are looking to snap a six-game losing streak, while the Raptors are aiming to avoid losing their third consecutive game.

This will be the second and last time the Mavericks and Raptors face off in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, and possibly for the remainder of the campaign.

Meanwhile, the statuses of Cooper Flagg and Brandon Ingram have also been revealed for their respective teams.

“The Mavericks have upgraded Cooper Flagg and made him available for today’s game in Toronto. Brandon Ingram (illness) has also been made available to the Raptors,” NBA insider Marc Stein reported via a social media post on Twitter yesterday, an hour before the contest began.

Through his first 51 games in his NBA career, the former Duke Blue Devils star Flagg has averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 47.3 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from behind the arc.

Another former Duke basketball star, Ingram entered the Mavericks game with season averages of 21.9 points, 5.7 boards and 3.8 assists, while making 47.2 percent of his attempts from the field and 37.3 percent from 3-point field through 60 games.

In the first meeting between the Mavericks and Raptors this season, the Flag and Company topped the visiting Raptors on October 26, 139–129, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Flagg had 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting in that game, while Ingram also had 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting.

The Dallas Mavericks faced the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on Friday night in a game that held personal significance for rookie forward Cooper Flagg. While Dallas lost 120-100, that night meant more than the score for the 19-year-old Maine native, who played his first professional game in Boston against someone he has idolized for years, Jayson Tatum.

Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, received an unusual welcome during pregame introductions. Boston fans, who typically criticize opposing starters at TD Garden, instead greeted the rookie with loud cheers. This reaction surprised Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. Many family members and friends from Maine were in attendance near the flag for the homecoming game.

Facing Tatum added emotional weight to the matchup. Flagg grew up watching the Celtics and followed Tatum’s development closely, including his college career at the Duke Blue Devils under coach John Scheyer. Flagg also played one season at Duke before entering the NBA.

“It was unbelievable. There’s a lot of levels to it,” Flagg said after the game when asked about playing against Tatum. “He’s someone I’ve idolized growing up, watching him come up through the ranks and ranks. I’ve watched him at Duke, and have been inspired to follow in his footsteps and play [Jon] Scheyer, and then obviously getting into the league is just unrealistic. It was really special for me to have this experience tonight.”

Sharing with Cooper Flagg/Tonight Jayson Tatum on the reception from the Boston/Maine crowd:

“There are so many levels to it. He’s a guy I idolized growing up…to see him at Duke and follow in his footsteps…it’s surreal. It’s really special for me to get this… pic.twitter.com/jq2CMbYptK

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 7 March 2026

The rookie finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes, but his efficiency wasn’t there, shooting 7 of 23 from the field and 0 of 4 from three-point range. He also committed three turnovers and had a minus-17 rating. The performance came just two games in after an eight-game absence due to a left medial sprain and returned for the second consecutive night.

Although his numbers were modest, Flagg continued to carry a heavy workload for Dallas. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward often serves as the team’s point-forward, running several offensive sets despite the Mavericks’ 21–42 record.

Tatum’s return to action was another major storyline. Playing his first game since rupturing his Achilles tendon last May, he finished the night with 15 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in 27 minutes, and shot 6 of 16 from the field.

Next, the Mavericks will travel to Toronto to face the Raptors on Sunday, while the Celtics will visit Cleveland to face the Cavaliers.

库珀·弗拉格的回归正​​如人们所期待的那样，尽管记分牌并没有像达拉斯小牛队那样。这位缅因州本地人、状元秀终于在周五晚上在 TD Garden 完成了他的职业首秀，尽管为客队效力，但波士顿球迷把他视为当地的传奇人物。

当小牛队对阵凯尔特人队时，气氛从一开始就激动人心。凯尔特人队最终以120-100大胜，但故事的主角是这位19岁的新秀。库珀·弗拉格在 30 分钟内完成了花园首秀，得到 16 分、8 个篮板和 6 次助攻。虽然他在效率方面表现不佳，23投7中，三分球4投0中，但这一刻对他的影响并没有消失。

赛后，媒体试图引诱这位新秀想象绿色的未来。当被问及 TD Garden 球迷的经历是否让他想作为主场球员而不是访客来体验时，弗拉格以他整个赛季所表现出的老将泰然自若地结束了这个话题。 “我喜欢成为一个特立独行的人，”弗拉格说。 “那就是家，我别无他求。”

库珀·弗拉格被问到在 TD Garden 打球的经历是否符合他的期望，以及他是否愿意“与主场球迷一起”体验，而不是与主场球迷一起体验。 #小牛队:

“我喜欢做一个特立独行的人。那是家，我不需要其他任何东西。” pic.twitter.com/okQuCz4bRq

— 迈克·柯蒂斯 (@MikeACurtis2) 2026 年 3 月 7 日

由杰森·塔图姆和杰伦·布朗领衔的波士顿凯尔特人队证明了他们为何能跻身东部联盟，但弗拉格展现出了一代人的才华，这使他成为 2025 年 NBA 选秀的头号秀。他两次投篮并在面对世界上最好的侧翼球员时打出了高水平的防守。这不是小牛队想要的“W”，但对于一个来自缅因州纽波特的孩子来说，走出球场获得全场起立鼓掌是一个完整的时刻。

Cooper Flagg’s homecoming was everything people expected, even if the scoreboard didn’t go the Dallas Mavericks’ way. The Maine native and No. 1 overall pick finally made his professional debut at TD Garden on Friday night, and despite playing for the visiting team, the Boston crowd treated him like a local legend.

The atmosphere was filled with excitement as the Mavericks took on the Celtics. The Celtics ultimately bounced back with a 120-100 blowout, but the story belonged to the 19-year-old rookie. Cooper Flagg finished his Garden debut with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes. While he struggled with his efficiency, shooting only 7-of-23 from the floor and 0-of-4 from deep, that moment was not lost on him.

After the game, the media tried to prod the rookies into imagining a future in green. When asked if the experience of the TD Garden crowd inspired him to experience it as a home player rather than a visitor, Flagg shrugged it off with the veteran patience he has shown all season. “I love being Maverick,” Flagg said. “That’s home, and I don’t want anything else.”

Cooper Flagg was asked if the experience of playing at TD Garden met his expectations and whether he would like to experience it “with the home crowd.” #mavs: :

“I love being a vagabond. It’s home and I don’t want anything else.” pic.twitter.com/okQuCz4bRq

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 7 March 2026

The Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, proved why they are the class of the Eastern Conference, but Flagg showed flashes of the generational talent that could make him the top prize of the 2025 NBA Draft. He hit two shots and played high-level defense against some of the best wings in the world. It wasn’t the “W” the Mavs wanted, but for a kid from Newport, Maine, to stand out on that court and applaud was a full-circle moment.

The Dallas Mavericks are very likely out of playoff contention for the remainder of this 2025-26 season, but there is a lot to look forward to with Cooper Flagg having a stellar rookie season.

That rookie season got a scare on Friday night when the Mavs took on the Boston Celtics. Early in the first quarter, Cooper went for a flag layup and was fouled, but he landed awkwardly and immediately grabbed his ankle in pain.

Flagg stood up with the help of his teammates and limped to the Celtics bench for a timeout.

It looked like Cooper Flagg injured his leg after going down after a foul. #nba #Different #celtics #MFFL #MFFLAGG pic.twitter.com/dTT7g2hARC

– ZeroChillSports (@ZeroChillSports) 7 March 2026

After the timeout, Cooper Flagg came back onto the floor, advanced to the free throw line, knocked down both free throws with ease, and remained in the game and played well without any problems.

Friday night’s game is the homecoming game for Maine native Cooper Flagg. He is the third player in NBA history from Maine to play in the NBA, joining current Detroit Pistons guard/forward Duncan Robinson as well as former Nets and Magic forward Jeff Turner.

“I think it’s great that his family is here,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Cooper Flagg’s return to the New England area. “Not just his mom, dad and brother, but other people will also be able to watch him play in person tonight. It’s exciting. Hopefully he can perform well and we understand that it’s not easy playing against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it’s a big challenge for him.”

In seven minutes of the first quarter, the Mavs rookie finished the period with six points, one rebound and one steal on 2 of 5 shooting from the field.

Cooper Flag grew up cheering for the Boston Celtics, and now he’s probably filming a commercial with it The greatest player ever to represent the franchise. Chime dropped a video of Dallas Mavericks rookie and NBA icon Larry Bird preparing to film a commercial for the financial technology company.

Although the Maine native was born three years after Bird was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he must understand the importance of sharing the small screen with the two-time Finals MVP. The flag is moving fast, but an extended meeting with No. 33 is certainly a surreal experience. There is more magic to come, as the 19-year-old will compete at TD Garden for the first time on Friday night.

Larry Bird and Cooper Flagg together for their upcoming commercial

(via @jhankar)pic.twitter.com/UgezYjZZwi

– ClutchPoints (@clutchpoints) 6 March 2026

The former Duke star has been eyeing this matchup for a long time, but a left medial sprain put this true homecoming in jeopardy. He made it back just in time. After shaking off the rust in Thursday night’s 115-114 loss to the Orlando Magic — 18 points on 7-of-22 shooting with six assists, five rebounds and four blocks — Flagg is poised for a big night in Boston. Maybe Larry Bird is watching.

Mavericks fans have been fed up for the last 13 months, but the No. 1 overall pick is giving them new life. As Bird did for Celtics fans, Flagg’s arrival is a symbol of hope for Dallas sports. If he can accomplish even half of what Larry Legend accomplished, this teenager is headed for a great run.

Cooper flags regularly visit American Airlines Center. On Friday, he’s trying to do the same at “The New Garden.” The Mavs and Celtics are in action at the time of printing.

Dallas Mavericks forward Najee Marshall pays tribute to rookie teammate Cooper Flagg before the Mavericks’ matchup with the Boston Celtics on Friday night at TD Garden.

As Dallas prepares to face off against Boston in under an hour on ESPN, Marshall steps onto the court for pregame warmups wearing a custom T-shirt honoring Flagg’s New England roots. The shirt features a graphic of a pine tree as well as the phrase “In the Flag We Trust” – a nod to the state of Maine, where the flag grew up.

Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News shared an image of Marshall’s shirt on X, formerly known as Twitter, highlighting the moment before Flagg’s Boston homecoming.

The game marks a notable milestone in Flagg’s rookie season as the 19-year-old forward plays in front of an area crowd familiar with his rise. The Maine native has quickly emerged as a central part of the Mavericks’ future during his first NBA campaign.

Here in Boston, a Nazi marshal wears this t-shirt in honor of the Cooper Flag’s homecoming.

“In the Flag We Trust.” 🌲 pic.twitter.com/5JFXVoTjaz

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 6 March 2026

Flagg returned to action Thursday night after missing nearly a month with a left foot sprain. In Dallas’ 115–114 loss to the Orlando Magic, he recorded 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, four blocks and one steal while playing 26 minutes.

Nazi Marshall honors Cooper Flagg’s Boston homecoming as Mavs face Celtics

Through 50 games this season, Flagg has averaged 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range. His all-around production has made him one of the Mavericks’ most consistent contributors during a challenging season.

Dallas enters Friday’s matchup with a 21-41 record while battling several injuries on its roster. Despite the setbacks, the Mavericks have continued to give extended opportunities to young players like Flagg as they evaluate their long-term core.

Meanwhile, Boston has a 41-21 record and is in second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Celtics also welcome back star forward Jayson Tatum, who returns from an Achilles injury suffered during last year’s postseason.

Friday’s game at TD Garden represents a homecoming moment for Flagg and another opportunity for the rookie to continue the momentum in his first season.

The primary storyline heading into Friday night’s game between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks is the return of superstar Jayson Tatum after tearing his Achilles 10 months ago. The Celtics are hoping to have Tatum back in the lineup for the final 20 games of the season so that they are in a position to compete for an NBA title with their entire team when the playoffs begin. The other story is that Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg will get a chance to play on the same court as Tatum for the first time in his career.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on Cooper Flagg’s excitement for today’s game:

“He mentioned Tatum as one of the guys he looks up to.”

“It is not easy to play against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it is a big challenge.” pic.twitter.com/taU0G38zwk

– Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 6 March 2026

Flagg grew up in nearby Maine, and he regularly followed Tatum in his formative years because he admired the way the Celtics superstar played the game.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said Flagg is excited to play in Boston against a player he has followed for several years. “He mentioned Tatum as one of the guys he looks up to,” Kidd said during his media availability before Friday’s game. “It is not easy to play against this team, because they understand big games and big situations, and so it is a big challenge.”

Flagg and the Mavericks come into the game as 14.5-point underdogs against the Celtics. The rookie is averaging 20.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and is recovering from a recent foot injury. The No. 1 pick in last year’s draft has shown that he will likely be a superstar in the coming seasons.

Tatum is scheduled to play his first game since suffering an injury in last year’s second-round playoff game with the New York Knicks. He is a six-time NBA All-Star and partnered with Jaylen Brown to lead the Celtics to the 2024 NBA Championship. Tatum is averaging 23.6 ppg over his eight-year career.

The Dallas Mavericks welcomed rookie star Cooper Flagg to the lineup Thursday against the Orlando Magic, a game that came down to execution in the clutch. It was the Magic who secured a 115–114 victory after a late-game dunk by Wendell Carter Jr.

But Cooper Flagg had spectacular moments of his own, helping the Mavericks score four points in the final 37 seconds of the game. Flagg scored on an and-one to give the Mavericks control of the game. But they couldn’t maintain the lead and surrendered a 3-point shot to Jalen Suggs just before Carter’s dunk.

According to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, after the game, Flagg talked about his comfort level playing in tough time situations.

“I would say I’m pretty comfortable. Obviously we’ve been in a lot of these situations this season,” Flagg said. “We haven’t won one of those, but it’s all a learning experience for us right now. That’s what we have to take away from this. We’ve got to learn, we’ve got to get better. We’ll be in a ton of these situations moving forward next year. Just taking it in and learning. I’m pretty comfortable at this point.”

Flagg finished the game with a well-rounded stat line of 18 points, five rebounds, six assists, one steal and four blocked shots in his return from injury. He played 26 minutes and shot 7 of 22 from the field, 1 of 4 from the 3-point line, and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line.

One of the frontrunners for the Rookie of the Year award along with Con Knueppel, Flagg was sidelined before the All-Star break with a foot injury.

He has played just over 33 minutes per game in 50 games this season. He is averaging 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, 30.1 percent from the 3-point line and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg is expected to be available on Friday night when Dallas faces the Boston Celtics, while veteran guard Klay Thompson looks probable on the team’s latest injury report.

Dallas released its updated report ahead of the matchup at the TD Garden, listing Thompson as probable with a right adductor contusion. Meanwhile, Flagg did not appear on the injury report after recently returning from a left medial sprain that kept him out of action for nearly a month.

The 19-year-old rookie returned to action in a 115-114 loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night in Dallas. Flagg finished with 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, four blocks and one steal, while shooting 7-of-22 from the field and 1-for-4 from three-point range in 26 minutes.

Flagg has emerged as one of the Mavericks’ key contributors during his rookie campaign. In 50 games this season, the forward is averaging 20.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 30.1% from three-point range in 33.9 minutes per game.

Thompson also had a strong performance in Thursday’s close loss, leading Dallas with 24 points. The 36-year-old finished with four rebounds, one assist and one steal while hitting 7 of 12 attempts from beyond the arc in 26 minutes.

Now in his second season with Dallas, Thompson is averaging 11.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 55 games, including eight starts. The veteran guard is shooting 39.1% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range while playing 22 minutes per game.

Mavericks’ injury report shows multiple absences ahead of Celtics matchup

The Mavericks enter Friday’s contest with a 21-41 record as they continue to navigate a roster plagued by multiple injuries.

Dallas’ full injury report includes several key players:

• Marvin Bagley III – Questionable (neck sprain)
• Moussa Cisse – Questionable (G League Two-Way)
• Daniel Gafford – questionable (right ankle injury management)
• Kyrie Irving – Out (left knee surgery)
• Derek Lively II – out (right foot surgery)
• John Poulakidas – Questionable (G League Two-Way)
• Tyler Smith – Questionable (G League Two-Way)
• Klay Thompson – probable (right adductor fusion)
• Brandon Williams – probable (left quad contusion)

Dallas will face a Celtics team that enters the matchup at 41-21, the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston will be a big boost with star forward Jayson Tatum returning from an Achilles injury suffered during last year’s postseason.

Friday’s game marks the beginning of a challenging stretch for the Mavericks as they look to stabilize their rotation while dealing with several injuries.

Tipoff between the Mavericks and Celtics is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET at TD Garden, with the game being televised nationally on ESPN.

周四晚上，奥兰多魔术队与达拉斯小牛队进行了一场激烈的比赛，最终奥兰多队获胜。这可能需要一些神奇的时刻，其中最值得关注的莫过于贾伦·萨格斯在 PJ·华盛顿的偏转中投进了一个不可思议的进球。但小温德尔·卡特竭尽全力，通过一场令人难忘的海报大赛为奥兰多队赢得了胜利，从而超越了他的队友。

距离比赛还剩不到10秒，魔术队顽强防守，他们进入半过渡阶段，拒绝叫暂停，让小牛队开始防守。萨格斯加快了对抗克莱·汤普森的速度，并与卡特进行了两人对战。随后小牛队闪电般地攻击了萨格斯，让卡特成为了掩护球员。小牛队的每名后卫都迟到了，包括库珀·弗拉格，他试图拒绝卡特的扣篮，但最终却被放在海报上。

魔法 最终采取 凭借卡特的扣篮，达拉斯队以115-114战胜小牛队，但达拉斯队无法用自己的制胜球进行报复。

通过 X（以前的 Twitter）上的 Magic Film Room：

小温德尔·卡特 (Wendell Carter Jr) 率先扣篮，杰伦·萨格斯 (Jalen Suggs) 传球 pic.twitter.com/aQEnWm34tR

— 神奇之路 (@MagicFilmRoom) 2026 年 3 月 6 日

魔术师力压76人队争夺东部第六

魔术队本赛季饱受伤病困扰，萨格斯缺席了相当多的比赛，而弗朗茨·瓦格纳则因脚踝问题无限期缺阵。即便如此，奥兰多仍然距离东部第六个也是最后一个季后赛席位遥遥无期，因为最近战胜小牛队的胜利使他们本赛季战绩达到 33 胜 28 负，比费城 76 人队落后半场。

第六名的争夺将会更加激烈。夏洛特黄蜂队正在摧毁所有遇到的球队，亚特兰大老鹰队正在大踏步前进，而迈阿密热火队总是可以指望竞争到最后一刻。

The Orlando Magic found themselves in a very tight matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night and in the end Orlando came out victorious. There may have been some magical moments, none of which were more particularly notable than Jalen Suggs’ ridiculously improbable made basket off a PJ Washington deflection. But Wendell Carter Jr. did his best to outdo his teammate by leading Orlando to victory with a memorable poster jam.

The Magic took a brave defensive stance with less than 10 seconds left, they went out in transition in half, and refused to call a timeout to set up the Mavericks defensively. Suggs stepped up the pace against Klay Thompson and got into two-man action with Carter. The Mavs then sacked Suggs and relieved Carter of the role man position. Every Mavs defender came up late, including Cooper Flagg, who tried to deny Carter’s slam – only to end up being put into a poster.

Magic finished taking Carter’s dunk led to a 115–114 victory over the Mavericks, as Dallas could not respond with a game-winner of their own.

Via Magic Film Room on X (formerly Twitter):

Wendell Carter Jr. takes the lead with a clutch dunk, Jalen Suggs throws a great pass pic.twitter.com/aQEnWm34tR

– The Magic Way (@MagicFilmRoom) 6 March 2026

Magic choke down 76ers for sixth place in East

The Magic have struggled with injuries this season, with Suggs not getting enough of his game and Franz Wagner still out indefinitely with an ankle problem. Still, Orlando remains within striking distance of the sixth and final outright playoff spot in the East, as this latest win over the Mavs brings them to 33-28 on the season, or half a game behind the Philadelphia 76ers.

The competition for the sixth place is going to become even more intense. The Charlotte Hornets are destroying every team in their path, the Atlanta Hawks are hitting their stride, and the Miami Heat can always be counted on to compete until the end.

Cooper Flagg made his winning return to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday after suffering a recent foot injury. Not only did he come back, but he also came back with a vengeance.

According to Dallas Mavericks PR, Flagg scored his 1,000th career point against the Orlando Magic, putting him among players like LeBron James. It came on his first basket of the game.

Not only this, Flagg became the second youngest player to reach 1,000 points at the age of 19 years, 74 days. The last person to do so was LeBron James at 19 years, 41 days.

Cooper Flagg scored 1,000 career points with his first basket of the game tonight in Orlando.

At 19 years, 74 days old, the Montverde Academy (FL) alumnus became the second-youngest player in NBA history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, behind only LeBron James (19 years, 41 days). pic.twitter.com/aUSYLeZAQ5

— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) 6 March 2026

Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker round out the top five. Flagg has played in 49 games this season. Furthermore, he is averaging 20.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Before Thursday, Flagg had missed eight games.

Meanwhile, Flagg remains the top rookie scorer in the NBA. Additionally, he has left his mark on the NBA landscape by achieving feats unseen from rookies. In December, Flagg became the youngest player to score 40 points in a game, scoring 42 points against the Utah Jazz.

Additionally, Flagg cemented his place among players like Michael Jordan and LeBron and became the third player to collect 750 points, 150 assists, 50 steals, and 30 blocks in his first 40 games.

In February, Flagg was selected to play in the NBA Rising Stars Game during All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. However, he had to pull out due to injury.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks are 21-40 on an eight-game losing streak and have lost eight of their last ten games.

The Dallas Mavericks visit the Orlando Magic on Thursday, looking to snap a four-game losing streak, and rookie star Cooper Flagg is listed as questionable on the injury report. Flagg has not played since the All-Star break due to a foot injury. Here’s everything we know about Cooper Flagg’s injury and his playing status heading into the Mavericks’ game against the Magic.

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Cooper Flagg’s injury status vs. Magic

On the Mavericks’ official injury report via the NBA, Cooper Flagg is still questionable to play Thursday. Flagg has missed nine consecutive games due to the aforementioned foot injury. However, according to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, there is growing expectation that Flagg will return to the lineup against the Magic.

Stein originally reported that Dallas’ rookie sensation was going to be a game-time decision, but then updated his reporting to say that sources had confirmed that Flagg was going to return to the court.

Flagg, the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award, averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals on 48.2 percent shooting from the field, 30.2 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 80.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

So when the question comes about whether or not Cooper Flagg is playing against the Magic tonight, the answer is probably yes.

mavericks injury report

-Marvin Bagley III out (neck sprain)
-Moussa Cisse doubtful (G League two-way)
-Cooper Flagg questionable (left foot sprain)
-Kyrie Irving out (left knee surgery)
-Derek Lively II out (right foot surgery)
-Nazi Marshal Potential (injured right finger)
-John Poulakidas questionable (G League two-way)
-Tyler Smith questionable (G League two-way)
-Klay Thompson Potential (right adductor fusion)
-Brandon Williams questionable (left quad contusion)

magical injury report

-Anthony Black doubtful (right quad contusion)
-Wendell Carter Jr. questionable (sore left ankle).
-Jonathan Isaac doubtful (left knee soreness)
-Franz Wagner out (injury management of left ankle sprain)

The Rookie of the Year discussion has begun, and the conversation focuses on Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe. This doesn’t reflect what other players are doing in the league, because there are some who are playing really well. One of those rookies is Dylan Harper.

Chandler Parsons recently showed love to the San Antonio Spurs rookie, and although he doesn’t think he’s in the Rookie of the Year conversation, he thinks he has a solid career ahead of him.

“If you put Dylan Harper on the Mavs or Charlotte [Hornets]”He’s probably averaging the same exact numbers, if not better,” Parsons said on Run It Back. “He’s that good. … This scenario of being on a good team almost hurts his chances of winning [ROTY]. His opportunity is not there; He’s playing less minutes, he’s playing behind guys like Fox and Cassel, where Cone and Cooper have the final green light and they’re playing on bad teams.

“If you put Dylan Harper on the Mavs or Charlotte [Hornets]He’s probably averaging the same exact numbers, if not better. He is that good. …This scenario of being on a good team almost hurts its chances of winning [ROTY]”

-Chandler Parsons 🤔pic.twitter.com/6xY7IhTviR

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 4 March 2026

Harper is in a different situation than Flagg, as he is basically putting up big numbers for the Mavericks as the No. 1 option on the team. Knueppel has played a solid role for the Hornets, but they are not one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

As far as Harper is concerned, he is playing behind multiple guards, but he is still contributing to the Spurs as they are one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Harper certainly deserves flowers for the way he’s been performing with the Spurs, but it won’t come with a Rookie of the Year trophy.

As for him, he’s probably hoping he gets a chance to capture an NBA championship at the end of the season because of the role he’ll play in helping them get there.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg missed Tuesday’s 117-90 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, then received an encouraging injury update ahead of Wednesday’s matchup against the Orlando Magic. Flagg missed the last eight games with a foot injury, but was listed as questionable on the Mavericks’ injury report.

Flagg, who hasn’t played since the Mavericks’ 120-111 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 20, could make his return in Thursday’s game against the Magic. The Rookie of the Year candidate is averaging 20.4 points on 48.2% shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game this season.

Jeff Teague of the Mavericks on Cooper Flag, Kon Knueppel of the Hornets

Former NBA guard Jeff Teague addressed the Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg’s candidacy for Rookie of the Year opposite Hornets rookie Kon Nueppel. Duke’s two prospects are the leading candidates for the award, and the race is close, as Knueppel has taken a slight lead as the likely favorite to win the award.

Flagg, who had led in rushing all season amid Cooper’s injury, and the Hornets’ five-game winning streak, was overtaken by Knueppel as Teague. Mentioned in their selection For Rookie of the Year, according to the Club 520 Podcast.

“If he is [Knueppel] Not Rookie of the Year, he was robbed. They [are] actually winning the game, that [is] Average 20 points.”

“He’s killing every game… If he’s not Player of the Year, he’s been robbed. They’re actually winning games, he’s averaging 20 points.”

Jeff Teague on Kon Knuppel 🗣️

(via @club520podcast)pic.twitter.com/B019SER50Z

– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 25 February 2026

In only his first season, Flagg is averaging 20+ points while playing for the Hornets. Knueppel is averaging 19.2 points on 48.8% shooting, and his 43.5% 3-point clip leads the NBA, along with his 212 threes. The Hornets improved to 31–31, the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference standings.

Flagg and the Mavericks, who have lost eight of their last 10 games, have the fourth-worst record (21-40) in the Western Conference.

The Dallas Mavericks face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday night and Cooper Flagg is once again at the center of the injury report. Flagg is listed as questionable due to a medial left hamstring sprain suffered during the February 10 game against the Phoenix Suns. The standout rookie has missed the last seven games, and his potential return remains uncertain as Dallas prepares for Charlotte.

The Mavericks enter the season 21-39, ranked No. 12 in the West, trying to snap a three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Hornets are 10th in the East and are aiming to continue their four-match winning streak. Here’s everything we know from the injury report regarding Cooper Flagg and his playing status against the Hornets.

Flagg has been one of the few bright spots for the Mavericks this season. Through 49 games, he has averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 80.4 percent from the line. He logs over 34 minutes per night and carries a heavy offensive load. When he plays, the Mavericks operate with better pace and spacing.

Cooper Flagg Injury Status vs. Hornets

The Mavericks’ injury report makes Flagg’s availability especially important as Dallas looks to halt their decline in the Western Conference standings. Multiple players are listed as out or questionable, reducing the margin for error if the flag is not appropriate.

With several rotation pieces missing or limited, Dallas faces a tough challenge against a Hornets team running on pace. His absence will leave the Mavericks without their primary offensive engine.

Charlotte is entering with confidence after recording four consecutive wins. The Hornets will look at this matchup as an opportunity to continue climbing in the East by taking advantage of a struggling opponent. Had Flagg played, the game could have also included an interesting Rookie of the Year subplot against fellow contender Kon Knueppel.

For Dallas, this game is about stopping the bleeding. For Charlotte, it’s about keeping the momentum going. And at the center of it all is Flagg’s healing left leg.

So when it comes to the question of whether Cooper Flagg is playing tonight against the Hornets, the answer now leans towards ‘no’. His designation is doubtful. Dallas can remain cautious as he works his way back from a midfoot sprain.

mavericks injury report

Marvin Bagley III: Outside (neck sprain)

Moussa Sissay: Suspicious (two-way player)

Cooper Flag: Suspicious (Sprain on left center front)

Kyrie Irving: Outside (left knee surgery)

Derek Lively II: Outside (left leg surgery)

Nazi Marshall: Outside (injury in right finger)

Caleb Martin: potential (lower back pain)

John Polakidas: Suspicious (two-way player)

Tyler Smith: Suspicious (two-way player)

Clay Thompson: Suspicious (right adductor fusion)

PJ Washington: Suspicious (sprained left ankle)

hornet injury report

Tosan Avbuoman: Outside (two-way player)

PJ Hall: Outside (two-way player)

Liam McNeely: Outside (on assignment)

Antonio Reeves: Outside (two-way player)

Coby White: Outside (Left Calf Injury Management)

The Dallas Mavericks have been playing without their standout rookie star Cooper Flagg for the past seven games. Flagg had earlier suffered a left foot sprain during a match against the Phoenix Suns on February 10.

However, he is now expected to get a chance to play against the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday after being listed as ‘doubtful’ on the official injury report. According to a post on X by Mark Stein, the flag’s status has been upgraded to ‘Out’.

The Mavericks have officially listed Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain) as questionable for Tuesday’s game against fellow Rookie of the Year top contender Kon Nueppel in Charlotte.

Doubtful has been at least one step above the flag’s outright OUT classification for the last seven games. https://t.co/0cHy8vHhWb

– Mark Stein (@TheSteinLine) 2 March 2026

“The Mavericks have officially listed Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain) as questionable for Tuesday’s game against fellow Rookie of the Year top contender Kon Nueppel in Charlotte.
Suspect is at least one step above the outright OUT classification of flag for the last seven games,” he wrote.

In his absence, the Hornets’ Kon Knuppel has undoubtedly stepped up to the plate with his best run of the year. Before his injury, Flagg was averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 48.2% from the field and 30.2% from beyond the arc over the course of 49 games.

He has emerged as one of the few bright spots for Dallas in a season that looks unlikely to reach the playoffs. The Mavericks currently sit in 12th place in the jam-packed Western Conference with a 21-39 record, a far cry from their 50-32 season during the 2023-24 campaign.

They have also suffered other major injuries, with Kyrie Irving and Derek Lively II out for the season while PJ Washington recovers from an ankle problem.
“Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has already announced that Flagg ‘probably won’t’ play in another Rookie of the Year contest against the Hornets’ Kon Nueppel on Tuesday in Charlotte… but stay tuned,” Stein previously reported.

The Mavericks have gone 2-5 without the flag and will face the Orlando Magic after their performance against the Hornets, which may be a more plausible point for their comeback.

Dallas Mavericks cornerback Cooper Flagg has missed the last seven games due to a foot injury, putting his Rookie of the Year chances in serious doubt heading into the final seven weeks of the season. Tuesday night’s road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets will give him a chance to surpass former Duke roommate Kon Knueppel, his biggest competition for the aforementioned award. Flagg is not expected to suit up at Spectrum Center, but his return is imminent.

NBA correspondent Mark Stein writes in his Substack, “Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has already announced that Flagg ‘probably won’t’ play in another Rookie of the Year showdown against the Hornets’ Kon Nueppel on Tuesday in Charlotte… but stay tuned.” “The one game that certainly matters just as much for the Maine-raised flag – Dallas’s lone trip to Boston of the season – is Friday night.”

The 19-year-old suffered a mid-left hamstring sprain against the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 10 and is certainly becoming a concern after being confined to the sidelines. Dallas doesn’t mind improving its NBA Draft Lottery odds until the flag is fixed, but the organization understands how much the TD Garden game means to the New England native. Although a sea of ​​green will still fill the arena, the Mavs phenom is sure to get a warm welcome in Boston.

Cooper Flagg is scoring a rookie-leading 20.4 points per contest while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 30.2 percent from 3-point land. He averaged 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 49 games. Knueppel is emerging as a new ROTY favorite after making history from beyond the arc, but no one can underestimate the burden the No. 1 overall pick has had to endure amid the Mavericks’ injury troubles and organizational idiosyncrasies.

Flagg would ideally gain valuable experience after facing substantial adversity in his first NBA season. He doesn’t need to win any hardware this year to know he has a promising career ahead of him. If the teenager can continue to improve and finish the campaign strongly, both he and the franchise will be thrilled in the summer.

ClutchPoints will keep you informed about the latest injury updates around the flag.

Cooper Flagg has missed six consecutive games with a left medial sprain. Although the walking boot was recently removed, it appears there is still no timetable for the Dallas Mavericks star’s return.

According to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoop Journal, reports indicate the 19-year-old rookie will miss Sunday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. It marked Flagg’s seventh consecutive game missed since suffering an injury in the Mavericks’ 120–111 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Feb. 10.

“Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg (left medial sprain) has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.”

The news that the former No. 1 overall pick was rejected on Saturday may not be so surprising. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said Friday that he doesn’t expect Cooper Flagg to be available for the March 3 game against Kon Nueppel and the Charlotte Hornets. If so, Flagg could be out for at least two more games.

Despite injury issues in recent weeks, Flagg has looked every bit like a franchise cornerstone during his rookie season. He is still in consideration for the Rookie of the Year award, as he has played at a high level while healthy. In 49 games played, Flagg has averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per contest, while shooting 48.2% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the three-point line.

With Cooper Flagg out once again, RJ Nembhard Jr. and Brandon Williams should see some action at the point guard position. With PJ Washington and Marvin Bagley III also out for the game against the Thunder, the Mavericks will likely rely on Max Christie, Klay Thompson and Daniel Gafford.

On Friday, Cooper Flagg was ejected from the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies. He is out due to a sprain in his leg.

According to Noah Weber of The Smoking Cuban, although he is not in uniform, Flagg is active in a different way.

Head coach Jason Kidd explained how much Flagg has stepped up from the sideline, too.

“His voice. You can see him out there cheering … he’s all about his teammates, he’s trying to help this team win, even if he’s not in the uniform. He’s very consistent about that.”

Jason Kidd explained how Cooper Flagg has contributed to team morale despite being out:

“His voice. You can see him out there cheering … he’s all about his teammates, he’s trying to help this team win, even if he’s not in the uniform. He’s very consistent about that.” pic.twitter.com/KAiiDd4ppu

– Noah Weber (@noahweber00) 28 February 2026

The Mavericks lost to the Grizzlies 124-105 on Friday. They will then play against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. They are at 21-38.

Flagg is averaging 20.4 points and 6.5 rebounds over the course of 49 games. Meanwhile, he is out of the last six matches.

Currently, Flagg is in the midst of a tough battle with Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel for NBA Rookie of the Year.

During the season, Flagg has earned several accolades during his rookie year. He has won multiple Rookie of the Month honors. Additionally, Flagg scored a career-high 49 points on January 29 against the Hornets. In the process, he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40+ points in a game at the age of 18.

Additionally, Flagg became the youngest player to achieve consecutive 30-point double-doubles in early February.

Additionally, he also participated in the NBA Rising Stars Game during the NBA All-Star Weekend.

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are likely the early favorites to win this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year award. With the Dallas Mavericks set to play the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, March 3, we could have a potential showdown between the two rookie events.

However, according to Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Sports, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd suggested that Flagg not participate in that contest. If that’s the case, the 19-year-old rookie is likely to miss at least the team’s next three games.

When Kidd was asked if Flagg would be available for the Mavericks’ game against the Hornets, he said, “Probably not.”

The Mavericks have been playing without Cooper Flagg for the past five games, his sixth consecutive missed game on Friday when Dallas faces the Memphis Grizzlies. He recently had a walking boot removed, indicating progression of a sprain in the middle of his left foot. However, Flagg remains out of the lineup.

When healthy, Flagg has been solid for the Mavericks in his rookie year. Through 49 games played, the former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 48.2% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the three-point line.

He is in direct competition with Kon Knueppel for the Rookie of the Year award, as the Hornets’ star has become an instant star for the club. Knueppel, who was Flagg’s teammate in college at Duke, averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. He also has a 49.1% field goal percentage and 44.2% three-point percentage in 59 games played.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks will face the Memphis Grizzlies without their star players for the sixth consecutive game.

“The Mavericks say Cooper Flagg will miss his sixth consecutive game tonight due to a left medial sprain. Memphis is at Dallas for the second straight home game night. This will be Flagg’s 10th game this season he has missed,” Steen, formerly of the X, wrote on Twitter.

It’s uncertain when Flagg will return to action, and the Mavericks may want to be cautious with his injury. During the All-Star break, Flagg was seen in the boot, which raised many eyebrows. Steen reported at the time that the Mavericks were fortunate that his injury was only a midfoot sprain.

“Cooper Flagg was seen with a boot on his left foot at Duke’s home game against Clemson on Saturday, but league sources tell The Stein Line that Dallas feels fortunate that Flagg’s MRI results last week revealed only a left foot sprain,” Stein wrote. “It is still not known exactly how long the 19-year-old will be sidelined, but the Mavericks are relieved that the injury is not more serious.”

Flagg had started to fire before he was hit and it was clear he was figuring things out. The Mavericks made some moves at the trade deadline that indicated they were ready to move forward with Flagg as the future of the team, and it seemed like he was ready for the moment.

It doesn’t seem like the Mavericks are too concerned about Flagg’s injury, and there should be a chance he returns at some point this season. For now, players like Najee Marshall, Klay Thompson, Brandon Williams and others will have to step up.

The Golden State Warriors suffered a huge loss in their matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. To recap, the Warriors were missing Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis and Draymond Green, plus a long-term injury sidelined Jimmy Butler for an extended period of time. Even their leading scorer had to sit out for the second consecutive night in De’Anthony Melton’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

But the Warriors still got back to winning ways; It was a team effort that led to the Dubs’ 133–112 win on the road. Eight different players scored in double figures for the Warriors, and it was rookie guard Will Richard who finished the night as the team’s leading scorer with 21 points on 9-15 shooting from the field and 2-6 shooting from deep.

Richard finished with five rebounds, six assists and three steals to round out a fine effort to lead the Warriors to the win. In doing so, Richard became the fourth rookie to have at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in a single game this season, joining Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Jeremiah Fears as the only players to do so, according to WillRichardMuse on X (formerly Twitter).

It has to be said that the absence of some key players for the Dubs gave Richard a chance to fill up the stat sheet. However, he has shown time and again that he can step up when given the opportunity, and that is exactly what he did.

Warriors’ troubles are increasing amid difficult weather

The hits have kept coming for the Warriors; Curry is currently dealing with a knee injury, and the man he got in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga hasn’t been able to play a few games in a row during his ongoing bout with POTS.

The Warriors will need more from their undrafted players these games, and if Richard can maintain this level of play he should earn himself more minutes.

It appears that the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year battle is a race between the two horses of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Nueppel.

But for former NBA guard Jeff Teague, it’s already been decided.

Watching Knuppel highlight highlights in the Hornets’ 131-99 win against the Chicago Bulls on the road on Tuesday, Teague said that “if he [Knueppel] Not Rookie of the Year, he was robbed. They [are] actually winning the game, that [is] Average 20 marks.”

In that game against the Bulls, Knueppel scored 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field with three 3-pointers, while hitting all four of his attempts from the free-throw line in 23 minutes of action.

Knueppel has certainly attracted more attention among rookies with his play recently, and especially with Flagg sidelined with a foot injury that has kept him from playing since the NBA All-Star break.

Cooper Flagg himself hasn’t been too shaky in his first season in the league, as the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been putting up big numbers for the Mavericks when healthy. However, his former Duke Blue Devils teammates are giving him a run for his money in the ROY race.

In fact, Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in 2025, leads all newcomers entering Wednesday with 2.4 VORP (value over replacement player), while Flagg is second with 1.4.

Knueppel also leads all first-year players in points and win shares. And for what it’s worth, he’s 1-0 against Flagg this season, as the Hornets beat Dallas on Jan. 29, in a game best remembered for an incredible duel between the two former Duke teammates, in which Knueppel scored 34 points and Cooper Flagg added 49.

Still, there’s plenty of basketball left to play this season to make this compelling Rookie of the Year race even more interesting.

The Dallas Mavericks are set to take on the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. However, it appears the club are already aware of the designation of star rookie Cooper Flagg and newly acquired veteran Khris Middleton for this competition.

Reports indicate that Flagg has officially been ruled out of the game against the Kings, while Middleton is listed as questionable, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Flagg will miss his fifth consecutive game for the Mavericks. PJ Washington has also been ruled out on the injury report.

“The Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain) will miss his fifth consecutive game on Thursday when Sacramento visits Dallas…Dallas has also ruled out PJ Washington (ankle) and listed Khris Middleton (shoulder) as questionable.”

While Flagg is still dealing with a foot injury, according to Steen, he is still in the running for the Rookie of the Year award. With his return to the air, Steen reminded fans that the 65-game rule does not apply to the Roy Award.

“Cooper Flagg last played for Dallas on Feb. 10, but has missed a total of eight games this season. Also: Remember, the NBA’s 65-game rule does not apply to the Rookie of the Year race.”

The 19-year-old phenom has played 49 games in his debut season in the league. He has been as advertised so far, playing at point guard and averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, shooting 48.2% from the field and 30.2% from beyond the three-point line.

The Mavericks will continue to monitor Cooper Flagg’s injury in the coming days. Meanwhile, the franchise can reveal the official status of Khris Middleton ahead of the clash against the Kings on Thursday night.

For anyone who doubted Kon Knuppel coming out of the NBA Draft, what are your thoughts now? The Charlotte Hornets drafted a perimeter scorer and an absolute flamethrower of a guy who could be the face of their franchise for many years to come.

Although Cooper Flagg was the rookie getting all the attention early in the year, Knueppel is the one who could walk away with the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Not only is Nueppel tied for second in the league with LaMelo Ball and Donovan Mitchell in most threes made per game (3.5) this season, but he also leads all players, not just rookies, in total threes made after making his 201st triple on Tuesday night against the Chicago Bulls.

The Hornets rookie has played a total of 58 games and has already made over 200 threes. Not only will he surpass Keegan Murray’s rookie record of 206 made threes during the 2022-23 season, but Knueppel potentially has a chance to surpass the plateau of 300 made threes before the end of the year.

Only Stephen Curry (six times), James Harden, Anthony Edwards, Malik Beasley and Klay Thompson have accomplished such a feat, and Knueppel was able to do so in his first NBA season. Despite only playing 58 games in his NBA career, Knueppel is already achieving things that even Curry wasn’t able to do when he first entered the league.

Between his shooting and scoring numbers, as well as the Hornets’ apparent success in the Eastern Conference standings to become a competitive organization, Knueppel has solidified himself at the top of the NBA rookie rankings with approximately seven weeks remaining in the 2025-26 season.

At the beginning of the year, it was reported that Flagg would win the Rookie of the Year award and would be the face of this year’s NBA rookie class. Well, with Flagg injured and the Dallas Mavericks in no position to compete for the rest of the year, this race for Knueppel is going to be lost at this point.

1. Kon Knuppel – Charlotte Hornets

Previous ranking: #1

Stats: 58 games, 19.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 48.9 FG%, 43.6 3P%

The Hornets have struggled with injuries and lineup changes throughout the season. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller both missed time due to injury, and several others have been in and out of Charles Lee’s nightly rotation for various reasons. But the one constant in Charlotte has been Knueppel, who has only missed one game this year and has been fantastic throughout the season.

The 20-year-old sharpshooter looks like an aged veteran on the perimeter, and he has such a good understanding of how to move off the ball to open up maximum space for himself. Just like Steph Curry is always on the move and finding open space to make a 3-point attempt, Knueppel is always doing the same and it looks like there will be a clear answer to who will be the best shooter in the NBA when Curry gives it up.

No player has ever had a shooting season like Knueppel in his first year, and he still has 23 games left on the schedule. As mentioned earlier, there is an outside chance he could get close to reaching 300 made threes on the year, which would be a historic feat for Knueppel.

At this point, unless Knueppel gets hurt, it’s hard to imagine anyone else winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

2. Cooper Flagg – Dallas Mavericks

Previous ranking: #2

Stats: 49 games, 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 48.2 FG%, 30.2 3P%

An MRI revealed that Cooper Flagg missed four consecutive games before the All-Star break due to a sprain in the middle of his left foot. While the Mavericks are clearly in no position to compete for a playoff spot, they won’t take the flag for the rest of the season and tanking.

As good as Flagg has been this season, his impact hasn’t translated into wins in Dallas. The same can’t be said about Knueppel and the Hornets, as their contributions are directly tied to Charlotte winning games. That’s why Knueppel finds himself at the top of these year-end NBA rookie rankings.

What Flagg has done this season can’t be ignored. Although he was the No. 1 pick and had high expectations in his first season, with many saying he was the best US draft prospect since LeBron James, Flagg has lived up to the hype.

Flagg has recorded seven games scoring at least 30 points this season, and four of those have come since January 29, when he scored a career-high 49 points on 20-of-29 shooting against Nueppel and the Hornets. The Mavs’ rookie has All-Star potential, and he will be the face of the franchise alongside Kyrie Irving entering the 2026-27 season.

3. VJ Edgecombe – Philadelphia 76ers

Previous ranking: #3

Stats: 54 games, 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 42.8 FG%, 36.4 3P%

When Joel Embiid doesn’t play due to rest or injury, VJ Edgecombe suddenly becomes the Philadelphia 76ers’ No. 2 option behind Tyrese Maxey. Edgecombe has been successful in his role this season, and that’s the main reason he was a featured player during All-Star Weekend at the Rising Stars event.

Edgecombe won the Rising Stars MVP, scoring 23 points during the showcase. That’s quite an accomplishment for the 76ers rookie, especially considering he’s been in the shadow of Knueppel and Flagg at the moment.

No rookie in the league has played more minutes than Edgecombe this season, and he’s been on a hot streak, scoring at least 20 points in three of the team’s four games out of the All-Star break.

4. Derrick Queen – New Orleans Pelicans

Previous ranking: #4

Stats: 58 games, 12.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 49.0 FG%

Derrick Queen has been one of the only bright spots for the New Orleans Pelicans this season. Whether or not the Pelicans made the right decision landing Quinn in the 2026 first-round pick is open to interpretation, but the organization has been very pleased with his production and rookie development.

Queen not only leads all rookies in rebounds (422), but because he also leads them in total assists (234). It shows just how much of an impact Quin can make in the low post beyond his flashy footwork and scoring instincts as a new-age big man.

5. Maxime Renaud – Sacramento Kings

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Stats: 51 games, 10.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 55.0 FG%, 25.6 3P%

One of the most surprising newcomers this season has been second-round pick Maxime Renaud for the Sacramento Kings. As a result of various injuries, particularly to star big man Domantas Sabonis, the Kings were forced to throw Renaud into a higher role early in the season, and he has since become the focal point for them in the early going.

Since the beginning of February, Renaud has averaged 13.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 57.5 percent from the floor. Although his 3-point shooting is no longer what it was a year ago in college, Renaud is making a difference with his double-double-like abilities.

He’s definitely an All-Rookie selection this year.

6. Cedric Coward – Memphis Grizzlies

Previous ranking: #5

Stats: 48 games, 13.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 46.8 FG%, 34.0 3P%

Cedric Coward has slipped slightly in the NBA rookie rankings due to injuries, resulting in him being sidelined and beginning the decline of the Memphis Grizzlies. He recently suffered a severe knee strain, an injury that could sideline Coward for the entire year.

Nevertheless, Coward has proven to be one of the young pillars of the Grizzlies’ rebuild, and he is one of the reasons why the organization decided to part ways with Desmond Benn and Jaren Jackson Jr. Once Ja Morant is traded in the offseason, Coward will have a clear path to becoming the face of the Grizzlies with his two-way abilities on the wing.

7. Trey Johnson – Washington Wizards

Previous ranking: #6

Stats: 44 games, 12.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 43.6 FG%, 37.0 3P%

The Washington Wizards are certainly happy with the new season that Trey Johnson is having. In addition to being a natural scorer anywhere on the court, Johnson has made a name for himself among NBA fans by ranking fifth among all rookies in 3-pointers made (87).

Although his minutes have decreased and he is being monitored closely as he returns from a hip flexor strain, Johnson has recorded at least 10 points in four of his last five games, with all four of his double-digit scoring performances resulting in him playing less than 20 minutes.

8. Dylan Harper – San Antonio Spurs

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Stats: 46 games, 10.9 points, 3.6 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 47.0 FG%, 25.4 3P%

Unlike Knueppel and Flagg, Dylan Harper’s path as a top draft pick has been different as he was not immediately thrust into the spotlight. If you ask Harper, he’s in the perfect situation, not only because he’s on a championship-caliber, young team with the San Antonio Spurs, but he gets to learn from De’Aaron Fox and Stephen Cassel in the backcourt.

There have been clear areas of development in Harper’s game since the start of the season, particularly making the right reads as a scorer off the dribble and as a playmaker. Since the beginning of February, Harper has averaged 12.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game, while shooting a very efficient 55.6 percent from the floor.

9. Igor Demin – Brooklyn Nets

Previous ranking: #9

Stats: 50 games, 10.5 points, 3.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 39.6 FG%, 38.5 3P%

Many draft experts said that Egor Demin could not shoot coming out of college and that his game would not translate to the NBA. Well, it seems like a lot of people have Demin mixed up with someone else, as he is everything the Brooklyn Nets hoped for as a reliable 3-point shooting specialist.

Add Demin’s length and athleticism to the equation, and suddenly, the Nets have a young talent they can mold into an all-around impactful guard for years to come. Demin has missed a total of 122 triples this season, the second most among all rookies.

10. Ace Bailey – Utah Jazz

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Stats: 51 games, 11.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, 44.5 FG%, 33.2 3P%

Ace Bailey did not have a good start to the season. He struggled to find his shot, and went through early rookie learning stages with the Utah Jazz. Since the start of the new year, Bailey has looked more confident, and he is establishing himself as a premier talent in Utah’s system.

The Jazz newbie has played in 21 games since the calendar flipped to 2026, and he has scored at least 10 points in 16 of those games, including five 20-plus-point games. Bailey has also increased his rebounding efforts, averaging 6.4 rebounds per game in February.

The Dallas Mavericks are scheduled to face the Brooklyn Nets on the road Tuesday, but that could be up in the air. Following the team’s game against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, the Mavericks stayed overnight in Indiana due to severe weather storms that hit the New York area. Although nothing has been announced yet regarding the games, Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg’s Jimmy Fallon Show appearance is in doubt.

Cooper Flagg was scheduled to appear on the Jimmy Fallon show on Monday night during the Mavericks’ visit to New York before their game against the Nets. But according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News, his appearance was canceled because the team could not travel to New York after the Pacers game.

It is currently unknown whether Flagg’s appearance on the show will be rescheduled. The Mavericks have already made their only trip to Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, and this is their only trip to see the Nets.

In any case, Flagg’s pending appearance on the show is proof that he is one of the rising faces of the NBA. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been one of the frontrunners for the flag league’s Rookie of the Year award. His only competition is Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.

Flagg is currently dealing with a foot injury, and has not played since the Mavericks season resumed after the All-Star break.

He has appeared in 49 games this season, a little over 34 minutes per game. Flagg averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals, shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 30.2 percent from the field and 80.4 percent from the free-throw line.

The Mavericks are currently 20-36, and are in 12th place in the Western Conference standings. Their win against the Pacers on Sunday broke their 10-match losing streak.

达拉斯小牛队计划于周二在客场对阵布鲁克林篮网队，但这可能还悬而未决。在周日对阵印第安纳步行者队的比赛后，由于纽约地区即将遭遇恶劣天气风暴，小牛队在印第安纳州过夜。虽然目前还没有任何关于比赛的消息，但小牛队新秀库珀·弗拉格在吉米·法伦的节目中亮相还是存在疑问。

库珀·弗拉格原定于周一晚上在小牛队对阵篮网队的比赛之前访问纽约期间出现在吉米·法伦秀上。但据《达拉斯晨报》的迈克·柯蒂斯报道，由于球队在步行者队比赛后没有前往纽约，因此他的出场被取消。

目前尚不清楚弗拉格在节目中的出现是否会重新安排。小牛队已经唯一一次造访麦迪逊广场花园对阵纽约尼克斯队，这也是他们唯一一次造访篮网队。

无论如何，弗拉格即将出现在节目中进一步证明了他是 NBA 的后起之秀。作为 2025 年 NBA 选秀的状元秀，弗拉格一直是联盟年度最佳新秀奖的领跑者之一。他唯一的竞争对手是夏洛特黄蜂队新秀康·克努佩尔。

弗拉格目前正在处理脚伤，自从全明星赛后小牛队赛季恢复以来就没有参加过比赛。

本赛季他出场 49 场比赛，场均上场时间略多于 34 分钟。弗拉格场均贡献20.4分、6.6个篮板、4.1次助攻和1.2次抢断，投篮命中率为48.2%，投篮命中率为30.2%，罚球命中率为80.4%。

小牛队目前战绩20胜36负，在西部积分榜上排名第12位。他们周日战胜步行者队结束了10连败。

There is no denying the fact that Cooper Flagg is having a great rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks. Even though he missed All-Star Weekend due to a foot injury, Flagg has demonstrated All-Star potential.

Currently, he is averaging 20.4 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

His star power became evident on Monday when his rookie-first jersey was sold by Sotheby’s for $1 million, according to ESPN’s Dan Hajdaki. This was the same jersey he wore in the first half of his first game.

“The $1 million result for Cooper Flagg’s rookie first jersey is a powerful testament to the importance collectors place on true ‘first moments’ in sport,” Brahma Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles, said in a statement. “This jersey marks the beginning of a special career, with huge expectations and excitement.”

In November 2023, Victor Wembanyama broke the previous record when the jersey he wore in the second half of his debut sold for $762,000.

On October 22, Flagg made his debut with the Mavericks against the San Antonio Spurs. Ultimately, he came out with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, even though the Mavericks lost 125–92.

In the process, Flagg became the youngest player in franchise history to debut at the age of 18.

Sotheby’s will host an NBA Rookie Debut auction from March 17 to 23. This will include the first jerseys of Con Knueppel, Dylan Harper, Derrick Queen and VJ Edgecombe.

Currently, Flagg leads all rookies in points per game. He is at second position with a total of 999 marks. Additionally, he ranks second in rebounds with 321 and third in assists with 302.

无可否认，库珀·弗拉格在达拉斯小牛队度过了一个出色的新秀赛季。尽管由于脚伤错过了全明星周末，弗拉格还是展现出了全明星的水准。

目前，他场均贡献20.4分和6.5个篮板。

据 ESPN 的丹·哈杜基 (Dan Hajducky) 报道，周一，当他的新秀首秀球衣被苏富比拍卖行以 100 万美元的价格售出时，他的明星效应显而易见。这是他在第一场比赛上半场穿的球衣。

苏富比现代收藏品主管布拉姆·瓦赫特 (Brahm Wachter) 在一份声明中表示：“库珀·弗拉格的新秀首秀球衣售价 100 万美元有力地证明了收藏家对体育运动中真正的‘第一时刻’的重视。” “这件球衣记录了一段特殊职业生涯的开始，承载着巨大的期望和兴奋。”

2023 年 11 月，维克多·温班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 保持了之前的纪录，他在首秀后半段穿的球衣售价为 762,000 美元。

10月22日，弗拉格在小牛队对阵圣安东尼奥马刺队的比赛中首次亮相。最终，尽管小牛队以125-92落败，他还是拿下了10分和10个篮板的两双。

在此过程中，弗拉格成为球队历史上18岁首次亮相的最年轻球员。

苏富比将于 3 月 17 日至 23 日举办 NBA 新秀首秀拍卖会。拍卖品将包括 Kon Knueppel、Dylan Harper、Derik Queen 和 VJ Edgecombe 的首秀球衣。

目前，弗拉格在场均得分方面领先所有新秀。他的总得分也达到了 999 分，位居第二。此外，他的篮板数也排名第二，为 321，助攻数为 302，排名第三。

As the Dallas Mavericks deal with injuries to top stars like Kyrie Irving, another key player who is dealing with the issue is rookie Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks rookie was seen wearing the boots while attending a Duke basketball game in Flagg, the latest reporting detailing his outlook on his injury.

According to NBA insider Mark Stein, Flagg is wearing a boot because MRI results revealed a sprain in the middle of his left foot, with the diagnosis of which, Dallas “feels fortunate.” Despite not knowing the timeline for his return, the team ‘seems to be in relief’ from a left medial sprain, as it could have been worse.

“Cooper Flagg was seen with a boot on his left foot at Duke’s home game against Clemson on Saturday, but league sources tell The Stein Line that Dallas feels fortunate that Flagg’s MRI results last week revealed only a left foot sprain,” Stein wrote on Monday. “It is still not known exactly how long the 19-year-old will be sidelined, but the Mavericks are relieved that the injury is not more serious.”

Cooper Flagg is in attendance for today’s Duke game. He is wearing a boot because of a sprain in the middle of his left foot. pic.twitter.com/TX5G0FGIFY

– Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) 14 February 2026

Mavericks have “big concern” over Cooper Flagg’s injury

While Flagg had to miss representing the Mavericks during All-Star weekend, it can’t be ruled out that the team will take it with caution, as he is the player who will be drafted for the foreseeable future. As Steen says, the “big concern” for Dallas is the “care” of the 19-year-old, with the team having lost nine straight games heading into the All-Star break, leading to a 19-35 record at the moment.

Stein wrote, “The bigger concern for the Mavericks – of course, that the injury not get worse – is taking care of Flagg during their ongoing losing season of 19-35.” “Dallas has lost nine consecutive games, which is certainly the longest losing streak in Flagg’s basketball career and certainly the franchise’s longest losing streak since a 15-gamer stretch in 1997–98.”

At any rate, it remains to be seen when the flag returns, as the Mavericks are in 12th place in the Western Conference, with their first game after the break on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The No. 4 Duke Blue Devils take on the No. 20 Clemson Tigers in an important ACC matchup on Saturday. With the NBA in the middle of the All-Star break, Dallas Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg decided to attend the game and watch his former college team.

However, the 19-year-old phenom was seen wearing a walking boot on his left foot. According to Dallas-based basketball reporter Grant Efseth, Flagg is dealing with a midfoot sprain. In the clip shared by WYFF News 4 sports anchor Chase Justice, Cooper Flagg does not appear to be in pain as he walks and cuddles with a man upon arriving at the stadium.

“Cooper Flagg is currently wearing a boot while he recovers from a medial left hamstring sprain. The Dallas Mavericks are next scheduled to play Feb. 20 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.”

Cooper flag in the building for this 👀 pic.twitter.com/T4Q9U6htuN

– Chase Justice WYFF News 4 (@ChaseJusticeTV) 14 February 2026

With the Mavericks taking on the Timberwolves on Feb. 20, Flagg has less than a week to prepare for action. The former No. 1 pick suffered the injury during Dallas’ 138-125 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 7. If Cooper Flagg returns for the February 20 game against Minnesota, it could mean he has a grade-one midfoot sprain, which is not considered a serious injury.

Despite playing as a small forward and power forward during his time at Duke, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has a flag playing point guard. It’s a decision that puts Cooper Flagg in deep trouble and could accelerate his development in the NBA.

In 49 games played so far this season, Flagg has averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest, while shooting 48.2% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the arc. The Mavericks will monitor Cooper Flagg’s left foot in the coming days before announcing his status for the Timberwolves game.

庫珀·庫普和卡爾頓·戴維斯成為周日超級碗比賽中值得關注的一場主要位置對決。但這不僅僅是西雅圖海鷹隊和新英格蘭愛國者隊典型的外接手與角衛之戰。

兩者都在聖克拉拉的大型比賽之前呈現了罕見的歷史。

庫普對陣戴維斯帶來了這個罕見的時刻：之前奪冠的WR和CB面對面。戴維斯與坦帕灣海盜隊奪得超級碗冠軍，一年後庫普帶領洛杉磯公羊隊奪得超級碗冠軍。

他們的單打獨鬥將引起人們的關注。由於這些原因，Plus 可以決定李維斯體育場內的獲勝者。

庫珀·庫普在第三次摔倒時將受到認真對待

庫普在公羊隊 2021 年奪冠期間從 WR1 明星變成了一個秘密安全毯選擇。

如果賈克森·史密斯-恩吉巴不開放，他就成為薩姆·達諾德的“救助”選擇。庫普發現了公羊隊二線的軟肋，尤其是在 NFC 冠軍賽中最後的達陣。

山姆·達諾德 (Sam Darnold) 向庫珀·庫普 (Cooper Kupp) 的 13 碼達陣傳球是達諾德在壓力下第三次達陣，創職業生涯新高。

在第 11 周和第 16 週對陣公羊隊的比賽中，達諾德在壓力下實現了 0 次達陣和 3 次攔截。#LARvsSEA | #海鷹隊pic.twitter.com/kK1FTTuAae

— 下一代統計 (@NextGenStats) 2026 年 1 月 26 日

達諾德可以選擇擊中 JSN，後者單人防守並將自己定位在第一個下標處。除了庫普發現了軟區並為六人提供了動力。

戴維斯在亞冠冠軍隊的比賽中派上了用場。這位 29 歲的球員曾在 2024 年的第三次進攻中讓出 40.6% 的完成率。他在東北部交出了 394 碼的職業生涯新低，這意味著對方外接手在面對他時平均每次接球只有 9.2 碼。

愛國者隊將信任卡爾頓·戴維斯的人員報導

戴維斯確立了自己作為一名強壯的防守防守球員的地位——他以高強度的身體素質而聞名。

但也歸功於他一雙強大的眼睛，正如我們在對陣 CJ 斯特勞德和休斯頓德州人隊時所看到的那樣。

卡爾頓·戴維斯三世今天第二次被罰分！

這 @愛國者隊 上半場的第四個😮

ESPN/ABC 上的 HOUvsNE
直播 @NFLPlus 和 ESPN 應用程序 pic.twitter.com/ZERwCkddEj

— NFL (@NFL) 2026 年 1 月 18 日

戴維斯在愛國者隊的分場防守中表現出色。他的出現緩解了新英格蘭隊需要以一毛錢的方式進行進攻的想法（六名防守後衛）。

儘管球隊取得了四次達陣，戴維斯還是打出了迄今為止最好的防守賽季：每場比賽投降距離低於 62 碼，並且在有目標時允許接球不超過 5 次。

這位老將將更多地通過他的眼神、防守耐心以及身體素質來對抗海鷹的進攻。

這場對決誰會獲勝呢？

出於多種原因，這裡更傾向於庫普。

首先，他之前曾在坦帕灣舉行的 2021 賽季分區輪比賽這樣的大舞台上攻擊過戴維斯領銜的二線球隊。戴維斯在 44 碼接球時碰巧在場，這粒進球為公羊隊贏得了勝利。

成疑的邁克·麥克唐納在比賽岌岌可危並面臨加時賽的情況下宣布零閃電戰。但庫普在聯盟打拼的時間足夠長，他知道 DB 單位的弱點。

這就引出了庫普佔據優勢的下一個原因：他可能無法整晚一對一逼平戴維斯。

西雅圖進攻協調員（加上即將上任的拉斯維加斯突襲者隊主教練）克林特·庫比亞克用動作打擊防守。 32 歲的庫普仍然大量使用預扣動作來製造不匹配的情況。庫比亞克的目標是迷惑新英格蘭的二線並點亮記分牌。

這場單獨的戰鬥值得為爆米花加熱。但庫普的頭腦和過去利用報導的歷史讓西雅圖佔據了優勢。

杜克大學籃球隊的後起之秀將在全明星周末期間在 NBA 舞台上大放異彩。庫珀·弗拉格和康·克努佩爾 將參加NBA新星比賽 2月13日。這是一場以NBA頂級新秀和二年級球員為主題的表演賽。

弗拉格和克努佩爾 進去了 作為 NBA 的前兩名選秀順位。弗拉格是主教練卡梅羅·安東尼選擇的第一順位，而克努佩爾是特雷西·麥克格雷迪選擇的第二順位。

T-Mac 隊在嘉實多新星選秀中以第二順位選擇了 Kon Knueppel！ https://t.co/2FgfQaWCcv pic.twitter.com/Kctu21Pq03

— NBA (@NBA) 2026 年 1 月 28 日

除了安東尼和麥蒂之外，文斯·卡特還擔任新星比賽的名譽教練。

弗拉格和克努佩爾都是杜克大學的傑出人才。弗拉格從2024年到2025年效力了一個賽季。他場均貢獻19.2分和7.5個籃板。弗拉格 榮獲美聯社年度最佳國家球員 並帶領藍魔隊進入四強。

隨後，弗拉格成為了 不。 2025 年 NBA 選秀第 1 順位 由達拉斯小牛隊。今年，他場均貢獻18.8分和6.4個籃板。兩人都是聯盟中頂尖的新秀得分手。

與此同時，克努佩爾還與弗拉格一起在杜克大學效力了一個賽季。他入選了 ACC 最佳新秀陣容，並被評為 ACC 錦標賽 MVP。大學賽季結束後，他被選為 NBA選秀第4順位 由夏洛特黃蜂隊。

目前，克努佩爾場均貢獻18.7分和5.5個籃板。小牛隊戰績為19勝27負，而黃蜂隊戰​​績為19勝28負。

截至 2025 年，共有 116 名杜克大學球員 參加過 NBA。這些球員包括格蘭特·希爾、肖恩·巴蒂爾、克里斯·杜洪、凱里·歐文、傑森·塔圖姆、錫安·威廉姆森以及無數其他球員。

NBA全明星周末定於2月13日至15日在洛杉磯舉行。

四分衛馬修·斯塔福德和洛杉磯公羊隊在 NFC 冠軍賽中被西雅圖海鷹隊淘汰出季后賽。雖然斯塔福德顯然對這場失利感到沮喪，但賽后他立即想到了其他事情。

這位四分衛一心想要尋找現在為海鷹隊效力的前隊友庫珀·庫普。當他們最終擁抱時，斯塔福德通過第 33 隊的阿里·梅洛夫向庫普發出了明確的超級碗信息。

“別讓我這麼找你了，去贏得你該死的超級碗孩子吧，你打得很棒。你太不可思議了。”

馬修·斯塔福德對庫珀·庫普說：“別讓我他媽的找你這麼久了。去贏得你該死的超級碗吧，孩子。”

（🎥 @insidetheNFL）pic.twitter.com/xLJ7jQVx4H https://t.co/2zrcMvmwJ6

— 阿里·梅洛夫 (@MySportsUpdate) 2026 年 1 月 26 日

庫普和斯塔福德一起在公羊隊效力了四年。他們在一起的第一個賽季是歷史性的，庫普在接球（145）、碼數（1,947）和達陣（16）方面領先聯盟，被評為年度最佳進攻球員。兩人在 2022 年一起贏得了超級碗。雖然他們在 NFC 冠軍賽中是死敵，但四分衛和外接手仍然有著密切的聯繫。

雖然斯塔福德現已退出競選，但庫普現在將有機會贏得他的第二枚超級碗戒指。他在海鷹隊的處子秀中並沒有表現出色，常規賽期間接球 47 次推進 593 碼併兩次達陣。儘管如此，沒有人懷疑庫普的接球能力，他在對陣公羊隊的比賽中取得了達陣。

每當斯塔福德和庫普的職業生涯結束時，他們在公羊隊的時光將講述大部分故事。斯塔福德希望在國聯冠軍賽之後認識到這一點。

西雅圖海鷹隊外接手庫珀·庫普 (Cooper Kupp) 將重返超級碗，這一次他在 NFC 冠軍賽中擊敗了他的老東家。事實證明，這是庫普本賽季最好的比賽之一，在有關過去休賽期事件的新細節出現後，不難看出原因。

據The Athletic報導的邁克爾·西爾弗報導，洛杉磯公羊隊並沒有試圖與庫普重新談判降薪事宜，而是“毫不客氣地與他斷絕關係”，甚至“敦促他退役”。然而，在這位前年度最佳進攻球員被釋放後，事情並沒有停止。

相關：整個 ESPN NFL 小組對海鷹隊與愛國者隊超級碗的選擇相同

西爾弗還報導稱，公羊隊管理層據稱試圖影響庫普的自由球員市場。消息人士告訴 NFL 記者，這位超級碗 LVI MVP“開始相信，一些洛杉磯官員已警告潛在的追求者，不要向他支付超過老將最低工資的任何費用。”

庫普相信，這些球隊官員與聯盟各地的人士進行了交談，認為這位 32 歲的外接手存在巨大的耐久性風險，不值得進行重大投資。這肯定會降低他在 NFL 自由球員市場上的潛在收入。

3月12日被公羊隊裁掉後，庫普兩天​​后與西雅圖簽約。他獲得了一份為期三年、價值 4500 萬美元的合同，該合同為他帶來了本賽季 1750 萬美元的現金和 1750 萬美元的保障金。

雖然這筆錢對庫普來說確實不錯，但對他的前球隊的複仇似乎才是最終的獎勵。他在 NFC 冠軍賽中接球 4 次，推進 36 碼並達陣，其中包括第三節的 13 碼得分和比賽還剩 3 分 20 秒時的第三次接球，讓西雅圖隊用完了大部分比賽時間。

現在，庫普有機會贏得他的第二枚超級碗戒指，而公羊隊則有整個休賽期的時間來嘗試反彈，同時希望馬修·斯塔福德不會退役。雖然他在洛杉磯的任期並沒有按照他想要的條件結束，但這被證明是他職業生涯中最好的事情。

馬特·約翰遜 (Matt Johnson) 是《Sportsnaut》雜誌《NFL》和《大學橄欖球》的高級編輯。他的工作包括每週 NFL 和大學……有關馬特·約翰遜的更多信息

庫珀·庫普 (Cooper Kupp) 在周日晚上的 NFC 冠軍賽中西雅圖海鷹隊 (Seattle Seahawks) 對陣洛杉磯公羊隊 (Los Angeles Rams) 的比賽中亮相後，與勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 一起參加了獨家課程。

庫普正在經歷他 NFL 職業生涯的第九個賽季，這是他在海鷹隊的第一個賽季。雖然他還沒有恢復到 2021 年的巔峰狀態，但他仍然有作為一名強力接球手大放異彩的時刻。

這位經驗豐富的接球手還面對了他的前球隊公羊隊，他帶領公羊隊在 2021-22 賽季贏得了超級碗冠軍。他在上個休賽期離開了球隊，以一份為期三年的合同加盟西雅圖。

他的出現創造了獨一無二的歷史，其中包括NBA巨星詹姆斯。他成為美國體育史上第五位通過 NFL+ 在季后賽四強賽中面對老東家的球員。

“庫珀·庫普是歷史上第 5 位 NBA 總決賽/世界大賽/超級碗 MVP 在季后賽“四強賽”中面對他們贏得 MVP 的球隊👀 自從勒布朗·詹姆斯在 2020 年 NBA 總決賽中與湖人隊對陣邁阿密熱火隊以來，這是第一次出現這樣的情況，”帖子中寫道。

海鷹隊庫珀·庫普如何對陣公羊隊

庫珀·庫普在這一歷史性壯舉的基礎上表現出色，幫助海鷹隊以 31-27 戰勝公羊隊，將老東家送回家。

整場比賽，兩隊互交鋒，進攻不斷。然而，洛杉磯隊犯了更多錯誤，西雅圖隊佔據優勢並控制了領先優勢，確保了進入第60屆超級碗的資格。

薩姆·達諾德再次表現出色，在海鷹隊的第一年繼續表現出色。他 36 次傳球完成 25 次，推進 346 碼並達陣 3 次。

肯尼思·沃克三世在衝球進攻中表現出色，19次沖球推進62碼，並完成4次接球推進49碼達陣。賈克森·史密斯-恩吉巴 (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) 在接球進攻中佔據主導地位，他 10 次接球推進 153 碼並達陣。庫普緊隨其後，四次接球推進 36 碼並達陣，而拉希德·沙希德則接住了一次 51 碼的傳球。

海鷹隊將在第 60 屆超級碗比賽中期待他們的冠軍希望。他們將於美國東部時間 2 月 8 日下午 6:30 前往舊金山迎戰新英格蘭愛國者隊。

庫珀·庫普 (Cooper Kupp) 從洛杉磯公羊隊 (Los Angeles Rams) 出局後，西雅圖海鷹隊 (Seattle Seahawks) 簽下了他。隨後，他觀看了 WR1 替補球員普卡·納庫亞 (Puka Nacua) 在 NFC 冠軍賽中的英勇表現。

但庫普最終取得了勝利，西雅圖隊在流明球場以 31-27 逃脫。然而，這兩位前隊友在賽后引起了人們的關注。

庫珀·庫普在與公羊隊的比賽后將重返超級碗。 pic.twitter.com/m1lIQXYxpd

— NFL (@NFL) 2026 年 1 月 26 日

當五彩紙屑開始落在會場內時，兩人進行了長時間的擁抱。他們的擁抱表明了相互的尊重仍然存在——儘管納庫亞最終立即成為馬修·斯塔福德的首要目標。

庫珀·庫普帶領前公羊隊隊友與海鷹隊一起參加超級碗比賽

至於庫普，他並不是唯一一位重返大賽的前公羊球星。

他與當時的新秀線衛歐內斯特·瓊斯一起贏得了超級碗 LVI，後者成為了那屆比賽中的頂級內線衛。

就像庫普一樣，這位前第三輪選手也被驅逐了。洛杉磯在 2023 年以省錢的方式將後起之秀 ILB 交易給了田納西泰坦隊。然而，他在納什維爾的停留是短暫的。

瓊斯再次被交易，但在 2024 年賽季中期交易截止日期之前被交易到海鷹隊。 2025 年 3 月，他終於拿到了自己苦苦爭取的一份大合同：三年 3300 萬美元。

這位 26 歲的球員以 5 次攔截成為頂級球手。他在對陣第一支將他送走的球隊時完成了六次單人防守。

與此同時，庫普在賈克森·史密斯-尼格巴（Jaxson Smith-Njigba）面前退居二線……僅接住四次傳球，推進 36 碼。但庫普有機會贏得第二枚超級碗戒指——這一次是為他在華盛頓州亞基馬長大的球隊。

達拉斯小牛隊看著庫珀·弗拉格痛苦地抓住腳踝，最終在對陣丹佛掘金隊的比賽中退出。丹尼爾·加福德（Daniel Gafford）很快也患上了類似的疾病。

據 ClutchPoints 的 Brett Siegel 報導，加福德右腳踝扭傷。他和弗拉格一樣，整個晚上都沒有回來。儘管狀元秀瓊·弗拉格傷到了加福德的另一側腳踝。

小牛隊新秀球星庫珀·弗拉格左腳踝扭傷，今晚對陣丹佛掘金隊的比賽中將無法復出。

— 布雷特·西格爾 (@BrettSiegelNBA) 2026 年 1 月 15 日

中鋒加福德在 18 分鐘內僅得到 6 分。在 NBA 受傷之前，他已經搶下 10 個籃板。

小牛隊與掘金隊的比賽很艱難

弗拉格在美航球館的地板上呆了 15 分鐘。

但他最終僅得到六分。弗拉格還送出了一次助攻並撲滅了一次射門。

與此同時，加福德在 10 分 36 秒處上籃得分，早早得分。布蘭登·威廉姆斯罰球命中，達拉斯隊以 10-7 領先。克萊·湯普森隨後投進一記 24 英尺三分球，將比分改寫為 13-10。

但這成為達拉斯隊在第一節最後一次領先。掘金隊的賈馬爾·穆雷拿下 7 分，幫助掘金隊以 29-23 領先結束第一節。

掘金第二節一度領先18分，最終以63-46領先進入半場。第三節穆雷突破防守再次上籃，將比分改寫為81-59。小蒂姆·哈達威 (Tim Hardaway Jr.) 在第三節末投進一記 24 英尺三分球，幫助掘金隊以 84-61 領先。

不過，達拉斯隊繼續縮小比分，在第四節還剩不到 1 分 40 秒時將領先優勢縮小到 8 分。