Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James said he was “very impressed” with Cooper Flagg after the Dallas Mavericks forward closed his first NBA season as the league’s Rookie of the Year.
Speaking on the latest episode of his “Mind the Game” podcast, recorded after the regular-season finale on April 5, 2026, in Dallas, James highlighted several benchmarks that convinced him the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has “the biggest upside” among the newest class of professionals.
Record-setting performances
James noted Flagg’s 49-point outing against the Charlotte Hornets, pointing out the 18-year-old became the youngest player to top 46 points in a game since Brandon Jennings. The rookie also eclipsed James’s own mark for most points scored by an 18-year-old in an NBA contest.
Across December and January, Flagg averaged 22.5 points per game and posted a plus-4 net rating, a positive figure despite Dallas finishing outside the Western Conference playoff picture.
Big numbers against the Lakers
James experienced Flagg’s rise firsthand on Feb. 14, when the rookie registered 45 points, eight rebounds and nine assists in a Mavericks win over the Lakers—two nights after Flagg had poured in 51 points against the Orlando Magic.
Context within a new wave
The four-time MVP placed Flagg alongside Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards as part of a generation he believes is already reshaping the league.
James welcomes Myles Garrett to Los Angeles
Outside basketball, James used social media to greet defensive end Myles Garrett after the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. Garrett spent his first nine seasons with the Cleveland Browns, a stretch that overlapped with James’s second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Lakers star wrote that he looks forward to sharing the city with another elite athlete from his home state.
Source: Lakers Nation
