This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/mavericks/onsi as Jason Kidd explains controversial Cooper Flagg decision that could pay off for Mavericks.

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.

Lately, Cooper Flagg has gone above and beyond the call of duty. The rookie sensation for the Dallas Mavericks has been entrusted with the of starting point guard role. With that will come a certain amount of criticism as to whether the No.1 pick coming off one year at Duke has what it takes.

Is it too early for me to assume the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year race has already been narrowed down to two players? Probably, but with the way Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have been playing, it feels difficult to see another player crashing the party.

While the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft will continue to develop, Flagg has already been compared to NBA greats such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. ESPN recently ranked its top 25 players under the age of 25, and unsurprisingly, Flagg is near the top of the list at No. 8.

Cooper Flagg takes over the No. 1 spot in NBA Rookie Power Rankings as Derik Queen surges, highlighting a standout class on Dec. 11.

DeMarcus Cousins doubles down on his take that Ace Bailey should have been the No.1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft because he is the closest player to McGrady.

The Los Angeles Lakers won't be thrilled with a recent reunion idea involving their star guard and the Dallas Mavericks.