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Cooper Flagg has been a bright spot for the Mavericks this season
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg was diagnosed with a foot sprain, causing him to miss the team’s Los Angeles Lakers matchup and Rising Stars Challenge.
The Rookie of the Year frontrunner suffered the injury Feb. 7 against the Phoenix Suns. He underwent an MRI after the game that confirmed the injury.
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Flagg’s injury is not thought to be long-term. In fact, the No. 1 pick is “expected back immediately after the All-Star break.”
Images of Flagg wearing a walking boot during the Duke Blue Devils’ recent showdown against the Clemson Tigers raised concern over his return timetable.
Thankfully, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Mavericks received an encouraging update on the budding star.
Citing a league source, Dallas was said to be “relieved” that Flagg’s injury isn’t that serious.
“Cooper Flagg was indeed spotted with a boot on his left foot Saturday at Duke’s home game against Clemson, but league sources tell The Stein Line that Dallas feels fortunate that last week’s MRI results on Flagg only revealed a left midfoot sprain,” Stein reported.
“It is still not known precisely how long the 19-year-old will be sidelined, but the Mavericks appear relieved that the injury was not more serious.”
Cooper Flagg Will Return After All-Star Break
GettyCooper Flagg should return to the lineup immediately following the All-Star break
Flagg has been a bright spot for an otherwise bleak Mavericks season thus far, so it’s encouraging to know he will return to the lineup soon.
The former Duke standout erupted for a career-high 49 points on Jan. 29, setting a record for the most points by a teenager in NBA history.
He made 20-of-29 field goals, including a three-pointer that tied the game at 121-121 with 33.5 seconds remaining.
The former No. 1 pick joins LeBron James and Anthony Edwards as the only teenagers with multiple 40-point games in a single season.
During a four-game stretch against Charlotte, Houston, Boston, and San Antonio, Flagg totaled 151 points, becoming the first rookie since Allen Iverson in 1997 to reach that mark over four games.
Most importantly, Flagg has demonstrated leadership qualities and could soon usher in another winning era of Mavericks basketball.
“[Flagg] is not about numbers, he’s about wins and losses,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said in January. “That’s who he is. He competes to win. People who take stats, he’s not worried about… He’s going to be a champion sooner than later.”
Mavericks are Rebuilding Around Cooper Flagg
GettyCooper Flagg is a Rookie of the Year contender this season
Playoff hopes are just about dashed for the Mavericks this season.
The team currently ranks 12th in the Western Conference and, after trading All-Star center Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards, the Mavericks are unlikely to rise much further in the standings.
The Mavericks traded Davis to Washington along with D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy, and Dante Exum. In return, Dallas received Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, a 2026 first-round pick (via OKC), a 2030 first-round pick (via GS), and three second-round picks.
With Davis gone, Mavericks rookie Flagg will get some run as the unquestioned first option.
This serves as a glimpse of the Mavericks’ future, as Flagg will pioneer the team moving forward.
Jalyn Smoot Jalyn Smoot is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has nearly 10 years of experience in local and national media, including print and digital. He previously covered the Texas Rangers for MLB.com and the Philadelphia 76ers for Metro Philadelphia. Smoot is a St. Louis born writer that now resides in Dallas. More about Jalyn Smoot
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