Cooper Flagg will not be able to compete in Rising Stars in 2026

Shot in the left leg Tuesday in Phoenix, Cooper Flagg he will not participate in the Rising Stars game and will also miss the Mavericks’ trip to the Lakers the following night.

Dallas announced that an MRI revealed a sprained left metatarsal, and the club indicates that they’re hoping for the first pick in the 2025 draft “right after” the break, with a return scheduled for Feb. 20 at Minnesota.

At 19, Cooper Flagg remains the engine of Dallas’ freefall (eight straight losses), even if he’s averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists on the season. Enough to make him the favorite for the Rookie of the Year trophy … even if this injury comes at a bad time, at the dawn of All-Star weekend at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, where he was supposed to headline the rookie and sophomore tournament.

His package therefore forces the NBA to name a replacement for the Rising Stars. As a reminder, here are the numbers:

Tim Melo (Carmelo Anthony)
Cooper FlaggReed Shepard, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears, Donovan Klingan, Colin Murray-Boyles

Team T-Mac (Tracy McGrady)
Conn Knueppel, Kel’el Ware, Tre Johnson, Alec SarrJaylon Tyson, Zachary RisacherCam Spencer

Tim Vince (Carter)
VJ Edgebbe, Design Question, Kisavor George George, Made Gedens, Egor Design, Edor, Cedigor Couns

Tim Austin (Rivers)
Sean East II, Ron Harper Jr., Yannick Conan Niederheuser, Aliyah Martin, Tristen Newton, Young Hansen, Mac McClung

How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.