Cooper Flagg Injury Update: Dallas Mavericks Rookie Out vs. San Antonio Spurs With Shoulder Sprain

The Dallas Mavericks announced Saturday morning that forward Cooper Flagg underwent an MRI that showed a mild left shoulder sprain. Flagg will miss Saturday night's home opener against the San Antonio Spurs. The Mavs said Flagg will miss Saturday's home opener against San Antonio and be re-evaluated next week. He'll probably miss at least a few games depending on when he's reexamined and how much progress he makes in the next few days. 

Cooper Flagg Suffers Shoulder Injury After Flagrant Foul in Mavericks' Win Over Pacers 

The Dallas Mavericks earned their first win of the season on Friday night on the road against the Indiana Pacers. But it came at a cost as star forward Cooper Flagg was hit hard on what should have been an open dunk in the second quarter. Flagg went to the floor, landing awkwardly on his left shoulder, sparking a fight between the teams.

Flagg remained in the game to shoot free throws, but went to the locker room with about 30 seconds remaining in the first half. He was out for the rest of the game in the third quarter. He injured himself after being hit with a flagrant foul by Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith. Meanwhile, Mavericks forward Naji Marshall immediately took issue with Nesmith, resulting in a brief shoving match. 

“Look, Nesmith is a great guy, a heck of a player. I've known him since he was in high school,” Mavericks coach Dusty May said after the game. “Obviously, an unfortunate play. Hopefully, Coop's fine … He's in good spirits. We'll know in the next couple of days what's next.”

Flagg, 19, got off to a fast start in his second season. He scored 32 points in Wednesday's loss to the Houston Rockets, the most by any teenager in a season opener. He also had 14 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals, and one block in 17 minutes before leaving against the Pacers. 

Cooper Flagg Climbs NBA Player Rankings Ahead of His Sophomore Season 

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg enters his second year in the NBA after being selected as the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He made an immediate impact in his rookie season, winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Flagg wears No. 32 for Dallas and is expected to grow into more responsibility as his pro career unfolds. 

He is already making an impression in the preseason player rankings in advance of the 2026-27 NBA season. ESPN had him ranked No. 23 in the top-100 players, up from No. 52 during his rookie year. Other media outlets and analysts have him ranked anywhere from No. 23 to No. 26, with some projections putting him around the top 20. The rankings indicate rising expectations for the young forward heading into his sophomore campaign.