After Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg missed Tuesday's 117-90 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, he received an encouraging injury update ahead of Wednesday's matchup against the Orlando Magic. Flagg has missed the last eight games due to a foot injury, but status was upgraded to questionable on the Mavericks' injury report.
Flagg, who hasn't played since the Mavericks' 120-111 loss to the Phoenix Suns on February 20, could make his return for Thursday's game against the Magic. The Rookie of the Year candidate has averaged 20.4 points on 48.2% shooting, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game this season.
Jeff Teague on Mavericks' Cooper Flagg, Hornets' Kon Knueppel
Former NBA guard Jeff Teague addressed Mavericks Cooper Flagg's candidacy for Rookie of the Year in contrast to Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel. The two Duke prospects are the leading candidates for the award, and the race is close, as Knueppel has taken a slight lead as the odds-on favorite to win the award.
Flagg, who had led the race all season long, was leapfrogged by Knueppel amidst Cooper's injury, and the Hornets' five-game winning streak, as Teague noted in his pick for Rookie of the Year, per the Club 520 podcast.
“if he's [Knueppel] not Rookie of the Year, he got robbed. They [are] actually winning games, he [is] averaging 20 points.”
"He kills, every game… If he's not Rookie of the Year, he got robbed. They actually winning games, he averaging 20 points."
Jeff Teague on Kon Knueppel 🗣️
(via @club520podcast)pic.twitter.com/B019SER50Z
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 25, 2026
In only his first season, Flagg is averaging 20+ points, while Hornets' Knueppel is averaging 19.2 points on 48.8% shooting, and his 43.5% 3-point clip leads the NBA, as well as his 212 threes. The Hornets have improved to 31-31, which is the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference standings.
Flagg and the Mavericks, who have lost eight of their last 10 games, have the fourth-worst record (21-40) in the Western Conference.
