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

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

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

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

Cooper Flagg’s recent rise in play and two-way impact have vaulted the Mavericks rookie into the lead for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year race.

Flagg went viral for a turn-around fadeaway midrange shot in that game, as the mid-range has been dialed in for him recently. He's more comfortable living in the area of the floor, and once the three-point shot develops, he's going to be a really hard player to guard.

“I’m not saying he is Kobe, but I remember what that relationship looked like,” Thompson said about Flagg comparing him to Bryant. “Now that I’m in that position, I want to show him how much this game means to me, being out there every night.”

The Mavericks contend that Flagg already has become a great player.