Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) walks off the court during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the American Airlines Center. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg news dampens excitement for NBA All-Star Weekend

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Feb 12, 2026 12:31 AM ET

Another injury to a star gives fans more reason to avoid watching NBA All-Star Weekend.

On Wednesday night, the Dallas Mavericks confirmed rookie forward Cooper Flagg suffered a left foot sprain in a 120-111 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The injury will sideline him in Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers (10 p.m. ET, Prime Video) and in the Rising Stars Game on Friday (9 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock).

The announcement came shortly after it was reported that Los Angeles Lakers point guard Luka Doncic will miss Thursday's game against his former team because of a left hamstring strain. He's still trying to play in the All-Star Game on Sunday (5 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock), but his status remains uncertain.

Both injuries dampen excitement for All-Star Weekend, where Flagg was set to play for former New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. He also would've possibly faced Charlotte Hornets rookie guard Kon Knueppel, who's playing for ex-Orlando Magic standout Tracy McGrady in the four-team tournament.

Former Toronto Raptors star Vince Carter and ex-Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers are coaching the other teams. Rivers' squad consists of G-League risers.

The Mavericks announced today that forward/guard Cooper Flagg underwent an MRI that revealed a left midfoot sprain.

The injury occurred in Dallas’ game at PHX on Tuesday. Flagg will miss the team’s game at LAL on Thursday as well as the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars game on Friday.
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) February 12, 2026

Cooper Flagg's absence makes All-Star Weekend even less interesting

The NBA has revamped its All-Star Weekend to improve viewership. Another potential battle between former Duke Blue Devils teammates Flagg and Knueppel may have been something many fans were looking forward to.

They generated fireworks when they squared off in a thrilling 123-121 Hornets win on Jan. 29. Flagg scored a game-high 49 points, while Knueppel had 34 points.

Since then, they've continued to establish themselves as some of the best rookies in recent memory. After Flagg's injury, ESPN shared that he needed just one more point to reach 1,000 before the All-Star Break. Knueppel has 1,021 after scoring 18 in a 110-107 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

If Flagg did so, he and Knueppel would become the fourth pair of rookies to score 1,000 points before the break over the past 45 years. Check out the rest of the list. It's excellent company.

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel will just BARELY miss becoming the 4th pair of rookies to each score 1,000 points before the All-Star Break in the last 45 seasons

The only pairs to do it:
- Paolo Banchero & Bennedict Mathurin (2022-23)
- LeBron James & Carmelo Anthony… pic.twitter.com/EXQJ2LYMiz
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 12, 2026

Fans would've loved to see another matchup between Flagg and Knueppel. Alas, it's not going to happen. And that gives them another reason to watch something else instead of another revamped All-Star Weekend that may inevitably fizzle.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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