Mavs F Cooper Flagg (foot) set to return Thursday on minutes restriction

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was cleared for his return from a left midfoot sprain and is in uniform for Thursday’s game in Orlando.

Flagg, 19, plans to take the court against the Magic on Thursday after missing eight games. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, who participated in a portion of Tuesday’s shootaround, was upgraded from doubtful on Tuesday and then listed as questionable prior to Thursday’s game.

A minutes restriction is expected for Flagg until he’s considered fully healthy.

ESPN reported the Mavericks are considering playing Flagg on Friday in Boston against the team he grew up rooting for in Newport, Maine.

“He’s ramping up,” Dallas coach Jaso Kidd said earlier this week. “Everything is going well. (Tuesday) was to kind of get back in his routine and hopefully as we go on this road trip he can get in and play a game or two.”

Flagg missed the Rising Stars game during All-Star Weekend after suffering the injury Feb. 10 in a road loss to the Phoenix Suns.

After leading Duke to the Final Four in his only college season, Flagg is poised to join Larry Bird, Miuchael Jordan and Luka Doncic as the only NBA rookies to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists since the ABA-NBA merger.

In 49 games (all starts), Flagg entered Thursday with averages of 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

–Field Level Media