When the Dallas Mavericks drafted Luka Dončić in 2018, the franchise found its immediate successor to Dirk Nowitzki. Fast forward to the 2025-26 season, and it seems lightning has struck in Dallas for a third time.
With Cooper Flagg leading the charge, the Mavericks have found their next generational talent. But just how good has the 19-year-old rookie been? To put his dominance into perspective, the best measuring stick isn’t LeBron James or Victor Wembanyama—it’s the guy who wore the Mavericks jersey right before him: Luka Dončić.
Through their first 44 games as rookies, the statistical comparison between Flagg and Dončić is practically a mirror image. Let’s break down the numbers and see how the new face of Dallas stacks up against a modern legend.
The 44-Game Tale of the Tape
Through late January 2026, Flagg has started all 44 games for the Mavericks, logging nearly 34 minutes per night. Here is how his production compares to Dončić’s through the exact same number of games:
| Stat Category | Cooper Flagg (2025-26) | Luka Dončić (2018-19) |
| Points Per Game | 19.5 PPG | 20.0 PPG |
| Rebounds Per Game | 6.5 RPG | 6.7 RPG |
| Assists Per Game | 4.1 APG | 5.1 APG |
| Steals Per Game | 1.2 SPG | 1.2 SPG |
Data source:
Key Takeaways from the Comparison
1. Elite Scoring Gravity
Luka came into the league as a polished professional from Real Madrid, instantly putting up 20 points a night. Flagg is right on his heels at 19.5 PPG, recently bolstered by a historic 49-point explosion against the Charlotte Hornets—the most points ever scored by a teenager in NBA history. Like Dončić, Flagg is already commanding late-game defensive attention normally reserved for ten-year veterans.
2. Two-Way Dominance
While Luka had a slight edge in playmaking (5.1 APG to Flagg’s 4.1 APG), Flagg’s impact on the defensive end has been extraordinary. Both averaged 1.2 steals through 44 games, but Flagg also adds 0.8 blocks per game, using his length and athleticism to protect the rim in ways that traditional wings cannot.
3. Efficiency Beyond Their Years
Rookies are notoriously inefficient, but not these two. Flagg is currently shooting 48.2% from the field and over 80% from the free-throw line. His ability to score within the flow of the offense while maintaining high efficiency is why Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd sees “championship traits” in the young star.
The Verdict: The Future is Now in Dallas
When Luka Dončić put up these numbers in 2018, he ran away with the Rookie of the Year award. Cooper Flagg is currently on that exact same trajectory, firmly establishing himself at the center of the 2026 Rookie of the Year conversation.
The league has never been short of stars, but as Jason Kidd noted, this new class is special. Flagg isn’t just putting up empty stats on a rebuilding team; he is playing winning basketball and rewriting the record books in the process.
