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NBA Alerts Everyone With Cooper Flagg Announcement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports
By Kevin Matthew Borba | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 9:20 PM ET

Selected with the No. 1 pick in this year's NBA Draft, Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has been as advertised this season.

While the Mavericks have underwhelmed as a team, as they came into Monday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans with an 11-18 record, Flagg has been the lone bright spot. Flagg, 19, came into Monday averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 47.8% from the field.

He also became the first 18-year-old in NBA history to record a 40-point game, as he finished with 42 points in the team's Dec. 15 loss to the Utah Jazz. As Flagg continues to make history seemingly every time he takes the court, the NBA has already announced another historic feat he is in line to achieve.

As revealed by the NBA on Monday, when Flagg and the Mavericks play against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas, he will become the fourth-youngest player in NBA history to do so.

Flagg will join the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, who along with Bill Willoughby were all 18 years of age.

Cooper Flagg is set to be the fourth-youngest player to play on Christmas (19y-4d), behind:

▪️ Kobe Bryant – 18y-124d (1996)
▪️ Bill Willoughby – 18y-219d (1975)
▪️ LeBron James – 18y-360d (2003)

Flagg and the @dallasmavs visit the @warriors on #NBAXmas at 5 PM ET on ABC/ESPN. pic.twitter.com/57v5BBLXNK
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 22, 2025

In an era when nearly all American prospects go to college for a year, Flagg is so young because he reclassified to the class of 2024. Had he stayed in the 2025 class, he'd be in his freshman year at Duke right now instead of terrorizing the NBA.

Thursday's game will start at 5:00 p.m. ET and air on ABC and ESPN.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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