Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on against the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images / Candice Ward-Imagn Images
Dallas Mavericks' No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg enters the league perhaps as the most anticipated American prospect since LeBron James. In line with those expectations, Flagg will join James on an exclusive list in NBA history when his Mavericks match up against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day.
Flagg, an 18-year-old Newport, Maine native, burst onto the national recruiting scene as a freshman in high school after winning state Gatorade Player of the Year honors. Flagg then transferred to national powerhouse Montverde Academy ahead of his sophomore season in 2022-23, emerging as the most sought-after prospect in the country by the time he was 16 years old.
Like Flagg, James was also deemed a future NBA star and the nation's most prized recruit before he was halfway done with his high school career. Granted, in James' case, it was closer to when he was in eighth grade.
Come Christmas Day, the similarities between Flagg and LeBron won't stop at their illustrious amateur careers. Flagg is set to become the first No. 1 overall pick to play on Christmas Day, the most important day on the league's regular-season calendar, since LeBron did so during his rookie season in 2023.
This year's No. 1 overall pick certainly hopes to have better luck than his idol's Christmas Day debut. LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers forced overtime against the Orlando Magic that fateful night in 2003, but were subsequently outscored 16-4 in overtime en route to a 113-101 loss at the now-demolished Amway Arena.
The Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are set to tip off at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT from the Chase Center in San Francisco that afternoon. This year marks the 13th consecutive season that the Warriors will play on Christmas Day. In addition, the franchise's 36 total appearances on the holiday trails only the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics in NBA history.
Golden State is currently on a two-game losing streak on Christmas Day, falling 115-113 to the Los Angeles Lakers last season and 120-114 to the Denver Nuggets in 2023. The Warriors and Clippers rivalry that largely defined the early 2010s for each franchise also had deep ties to Christmas, as the two teams faced off on the holiday three times in four seasons from 2011 to 2014.
The Golden State Warriors are set to open the regular season at home against the Los Angeles Lakers, live on NBC, at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on October 22.
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