Cooper Flagg is about to make history, and he hasn't even played a full season yet.

When the Dallas Mavericks take the floor at Golden State today, Flagg will become the youngest player to appear in an NBA Christmas Day game since LeBron James did it in 2003. That's a sentence that should make you feel old and excited at the same time.

The Quick Hit

• What's happening: Cooper Flagg plays on Christmas Day as a rookie
• The history: Youngest player on the Christmas slate since LeBron James in 2003
• The game: Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors
• The stakes: A chance for the projected #1 pick to announce himself on the biggest stage

The LeBron Comparison

When LeBron James played on Christmas Day in 2003, he was 18 years old and already the most hyped player in NBA history. The Cavaliers faced the Magic, and the basketball world got its first glimpse of holiday LeBron.

Twenty-two years later, Cooper Flagg steps into those shoes. He's not quite the same level of pre-draft hype — nobody is — but he's the closest thing the league has seen to a generational prospect since Wembanyama.

Flagg was the consensus #1 pick before the season started. He chose to play at Duke instead of going overseas or to the G League, and he dominated college basketball. Now he's in Dallas, learning behind a veteran roster, and getting Christmas Day minutes in his first year.

The Warriors Matchup

This game features some fascinating storylines beyond Flagg's debut:

Stephen Curry has owned Christmas Day for a decade. He's a four-time champion, a two-time MVP, and arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history. Watching Flagg share a court with him is a passing-of-the-torch moment, even if Curry isn't quite ready to hand over the keys.

Luka Dončić is playing his first Christmas game as a Maverick... wait, no, he's played Christmas games before with Dallas. But this is his first with Flagg as a teammate, which adds another dimension to the Mavericks' offensive attack.

Dallas is trying to prove they're legit contenders this season after coming up short in recent years. A Christmas Day statement against Golden State would help that cause.

What to Watch From Flagg

The rookie has been eased into NBA action this season, playing limited minutes behind Dallas's established rotation. But Christmas Day is different. The lights are brighter. The stakes are higher. And the NBA loves to feature its young stars.

Expect Flagg to get meaningful minutes today. Coach Jason Kidd knows the value of big-game experience, and there's no better regular-season stage than Christmas at Chase Center.

Things to watch:

• His defense: Flagg's length and instincts made him dominant at Duke. How does that translate against NBA athletes?
• His confidence: Young players either shrink or shine on Christmas. Which version of Flagg shows up?
• His chemistry with Dončić: Dallas's future depends on these two figuring each other out.

The Betting Angle

From a betting perspective, Flagg's presence doesn't move lines significantly. He's still a role player in his rookie year, and Dallas's outcomes depend more on Dončić, Kyrie Irving, and the veteran core.

But player props could be interesting. Flagg's minutes projection is uncertain, which creates volatility. If he plays 20+ minutes, overs on points and rebounds become live. If he's limited to 10-12 minutes, stay away.

The game itself is a toss-up. Golden State at home is always dangerous, but Dallas has the star power to win anywhere. The line has been hovering around pick'em all week.

The Bigger Picture

Christmas Day is the NBA's showcase. It's when casual fans tune in, when the league shows off its brightest stars, and when the national conversation shifts to basketball.

Cooper Flagg being part of that, as a rookie, tells you everything about how the league views his potential. They're not hiding him. They're not easing him in slowly. They're putting him on the biggest stage and saying "show us what you've got."

LeBron answered that challenge in 2003. Twenty-two years later, it's Flagg's turn.

The Bottom Line

Cooper Flagg plays on Christmas Day today, joining a list of young stars who got the holiday spotlight early in their careers. LeBron. Shaq. Magic. The legends earned their Christmas Day stripes as young players, and now Flagg gets his chance.

Will he drop 30? Probably not. Will he look overwhelmed? Maybe at times. But will he show flashes of why he was the #1 pick? Almost certainly.

This is the first of many Christmas Day games for Cooper Flagg. The question is whether, in 20 years, we'll look back at this one the way we look back at LeBron's 2003 debut — as the beginning of something special.

Tune in. Watch the kid. And remember where you were when Cooper Flagg played his first Christmas game.