Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg may have found a new fan in Barack Obama. The former US President showered praise on the young basketball player during the NBA All-Star Weekend. He expressed amazement at how Flagg and other young players cultivated a strong presence within the basketball league despite their youth.
Barack Obama appreciates Cooper Flagg
Barack Obama recently attended the NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles with his wife Michelle. He inadvertently became a highlight of the event after catching a ball that went off the court. Notably, this move seemingly protected the latter, momentarily shaken by the ball coming in at high speed.
While speaking at a press conference, the 64-year-old highlighted three young players he was impressed by: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and VJ Edgecombe. He noted that players like them held “so much poise and experience” (via HITC).
He said of Flagg, “He’s a baby. You can tell the guy’s barely shaven. And he’s out there doing what he’s doing.” Obama continued, “[Kon] Knueppel? Unbelievable. [VJ] Edgecombe. So you’ve got these young folks who are now performing at levels that I think we’ve never seen before.”
Moreover, at the conference, Obama suggested a major change to the NBA’s regular-season structure. He advised owners of various leagues to reduce the number of scheduled games from 82 to 72. Obama reasoned players were playing at “a much faster pace” today, unlike 20 years earlier, stressing he was uncertain if injuries could be avoided at the current pace.
Flagg, the Dallas Mavericks’ first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, already amassed several achievements. At just 18 years old, during the Mavericks’ match against the Milwaukee Bucks, he scored a career-high 26 points. Thus, he tied with LeBron James as the youngest player to score at least 25 points in an NBA game. The following night, he surpassed James by scoring a career-high 35 points during the Mavericks’ 114-110 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. In addition, he became the only player after James to score 30+ points in a game before turning 19.
Later, on December 25, 2025, during the Mavericks’ match against the Golden State Warriors, where they suffered a 126-116 loss, Flagg recorded 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Consequently, he became the third rookie to record at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists on a Christmas Day game, preceded by Oscar Robertson (1960) and Pete Maravich (1970).
