ORLANDO, Fla. — Dallas Mavericks first-year player Cooper Flagg will return to the starting five Thursday evening when they face the Orlando Magic, ending an eight-game absence due to a foot injury.
The top selection in last year’s NBA draft had been out of action since February 10 following a game at Phoenix, suffering from a sprained left mid-foot.
Standing 6-foot-9 and hailing from Duke University, Flagg has put together impressive numbers across 49 games this season, leading Dallas with 20.4 points per game while adding 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists. His rookie campaign has seen him miss 12 total contests.
At just 19 years old, Flagg sits atop the rookie scoring charts and holds the fourth position in rebounding and second place in assists among first-year players. His standout performance came against Charlotte on January 29, when he exploded for 49 points, setting a record as the youngest player in NBA history to reach the 45-point threshold in a single game.
