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Jason Kidd's honest take on Cooper Flagg making the 2026 All-Star Game
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- Jason Kidd's honest take on Cooper Flagg making the 2026 All-Star Game
Cooper Flagg has no doubt been one of the most talked-about players in the 2025-26 season. Making headlines since his high school days, the teenage sensation drew attention for his Swiss Army Knife-like skill set. Adding to it was his short-lived yet impressive showing at Duke that made him one of the most hyped draft picks ever.
That's why it was no surprise when he was the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. Flagg had a shaky start with the Dallas Mavericks but has since found his groove, as evidenced by his being named Western Conference Rookie of the Month in November and December.
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He is leading the 2026 Rookie of the Year race. In the 36 games that Flagg has played so far, he is averaging 18.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 47.8 percent shooting from the field.
With the 2026 All-Star Weekend around the corner, there has been a lot of chatter around Coop making it to the annual exhibition game. Recently, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd weighed in on the chances of Flagg achieving this exclusive feat.
"He's going to be there no matter what. If he participates in the Big Game, that's because of the work he's put in. We hope that he does make the Big Game and he gets voted in. He's playing at a high level for a young player. He's taking on the best defender. He's trying to help his team win. He's been very successful in late game," said J-Kidd.
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Thumbs up from fans
Though it is still uncertain whether Coop makes it to the ASG at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles , he is climbing up the charts. As per the latest fan voting , the Mavs point forward finished 16th in the West. With 236,182 votes, he edged popular names such as Devin Booker , Lauri Markkanen and Jimmy Butler .
Nonetheless, the coming weeks will determine whether Flagg will be representing the West. That said, one can hope to see the Duke sensation at the Rising Stars Challenge, something his coach J-Kidd can attest to as well.
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"Hopefully, he's in the Big Game, but he will participate in the Little Game, the one before. When you look at his stats, he's in a great class. They have some guys that are playing at a high level. VJ ( Edgecombe ), (Kon) Knueppel and Flagg, those guys are playing major minutes & helping their team win," mentioned Jason.
Be it the All-Star Game or becoming Rookie of the Year, Flagg faces stiff competition from Edgecombe and Knueppel, who are not far behind in terms of their performances. Meanwhile, Coop appears to be hitting stride yet again after a brief lull to start the New Year 2026.
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Breaking through the rookie wall
After a slow start in the first week of January, Flagg is hitting stride yet again. A prime example of it was the latest nail-biting 98-100 win against the Sacramento Kings , where the Maine Event dropped 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 53.3 percent shooting from the field.
Cooper is the only player who ranks in the Top 10 in clutch points, rebounds and assists this season. While all signs point to favorable outcomes for him, one needs to take into account how stacked the West is, especially in terms of talent.
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While there is no doubt he will be an All-Star sooner than later, that huge talent level might be a roadblock he hits as a rookie.
Related: Anthony Davis shares his honest thoughts about Cooper Flagg hitting the rookie wall
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
