Dallas Mavericks teammates Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg haven’t played alongside each other on the court yet, but the delay hasn’t stopped Irving from commenting on Flagg. Most recently, Irving attended the 2026 NBA All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Meanwhile, Flagg did not attend the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend festivities due to a left foot sprain.
Irving has been impressed by the 19-year-old so far this season. Read on for further details surrounding Irving’s impression of Flagg’s NBA rise.
Kyrie Irving Believes Cooper Flagg Will Be “Chasing History”
Irving has not been available due to suffering a Torn ACL on March 3, 2025, against the Sacramento Kings. Yet, he had only positive things to say, per Sports Illustrated. The Duke alum believes Flagg has established a new era in Dallas, Texas, and that the former Duke star will be “chasing history” throughout his NBA career. This was a fairly strong compliment from an NBA veteran to a rookie.
The Dallas Hoops Journal reported that Irving said, “Cooper (Flagg) is just an amazing player, and that’s not even just gassing it. At 19 years old, doing the things that he’s doing within our league is very special … I don’t want to mince my words either. He’s doing things that some of the greats, even before him, didn’t do. He’s chasing history.”
Even though any NBA rookie’s rookie season is just a small sample size of what’s yet to come, Flagg has already made some NBA history as “the Maine Event.”
Flagg is the only player aside from LeBron James to score 35 points in a game at age 18, and the youngest to ever do so. Flagg scored 49 points on Jan. 29, 2026, against the Charlotte Hornets, a much-anticipated game against his former Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel, who finished with 34 points in a 123-121 win.
Flagg is the favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award, which shouldn’t be a surprise, even though Knueppel, 20, is often considered a more prolific, efficient scorer. Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe is likely expected to be a second runner-up in the award’s race.
Kyrie Irving’s Outlook
Irving’s outlook appears to be positive. He recently released a statement about his return timeline, saying, “My rehab is going well. Whenever I’m a hundred and fifty percent healthy, I’ll be back. I want to be better than where I was. So that’s saying a lot. It’s a big hill to climb, but it’s worth it.”
Irving’s statement might not be encouraging for anyone hoping for a speedier recovery, but his statement can encourage. Irving appears to be committed to staying in Dallas and playing for the Dallas Mavericks.
Cooper Flagg’s Outlook
Flagg’s outlook appears to be bright amid his left mid-foot sprain, which he’s currently nursing. Flagg suffered a slow start to open the 2025-26 NBA season but has adjusted to his temporary role as a point guard instead of a forward. When Flagg returns to playing forward, there’s a chance Flagg’s overall scoring could improve even more. Perhaps he can match or surpass Knueppel’s scoring.
