Overview
- Time placed Cooper Flagg in its inaugural TIME100 Sports list in the “innovators” category after his standout rookie year with the Dallas Mavericks.
- Flagg finished his rookie season as Rookie of the Year while averaging about 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game for Dallas.
- Time highlighted a string of age-related scoring milestones, noting Flagg became the youngest player to reach at least 35, 40, 45 and 50 points in different games during his rookie season.
- The magazine said Flagg and Michael Jordan are the only rookies since steals were recorded in 1973 to lead their teams in total points, rebounds, assists and steals.
- Time framed Flagg’s inclusion alongside executives such as Masai Ujiri and Dana White to show that both elite on-court performance and large commercial deals, like White’s $7.7 billion Paramount rights pact and the planned UFC Freedom 250 event, shape influence in modern sports and will likely focus more attention and investment on rising young stars.