Sports
NBA midseason report card: Cooper Flagg ‘better than advertised’
THIS ISN’T THE way Cooper Flagg envisioned his rookie season unfolding.
Flagg expected to be the rare No. 1 pick who gets playoff experience right away, feeling fortunate to have landed with a franchise that featured a few veteran future Hall of Famers after the Dallas Mavericks cashed in 1.8% chances to win last spring’s draft lottery.
Reality has been a rough contrast as Flagg’s season rolls past the midway point. The Mavs are 18-26 and in 12th place in the Western Conference, putting Dallas on the path to getting another single-digit draft pick to pair with Flagg.
Anthony Davis, acquired as the centerpiece of last year’s blockbuster deal that eventually led to general manager Nico Harrison’s early-season firing, has played only 20 games this season due to a variety of injuries. He might never wear a Mavs uniform again, pending trade discussions leading up to the Feb. 5 deadline as he recovers from ligament damage in his left hand.
The return date of Kyrie Irving, the co-star on the Mavs’ 2024-25 NBA Finals team, as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in early March remains to be determined. He has yet to be cleared to practice, and while Irving has made it clear that he hopes to play this season, sources anticipate that, considering the Mavs’ place in the standings, there will be discussions about postponing his comeback until next season.
As disappointing as the season has been for Dallas, Flagg is getting generally rave reviews from opposing coaches, scouts and executives polled by ESPN.
“He’s better than advertised, if that’s possible,” a Western Conference scouting director said.
FLAGG STRUGGLED with efficiency early in the season when he was starting at point guard, a position he had never played. Mavs coach Jason Kidd ended that experiment after the first seven games, with 6-foot-9 Flagg averaging 13.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting only 38.8% from the floor.
Flagg has averaged 19.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 49.2% from the floor in 34 games since shifting back to primarily playing his natural forward position.
“I think it’s a lot of pressure and a lot of responsibility that comes with being a point guard, and I don’t know if I was ready for that or if I was ready to handle that right off the bat,” Flagg said in November. “I tried my best, and I mean, that’s not to say I can’t go back to it and can’t work on it and get better, but I think it’s just worked out where it’s been better to have somebody else helping out, relieving pressure. … It wasn’t perfect, but I think I learned a lot through that.”
Even when Flagg struggles, he stands out to opposing coaches and executives. Philadelphia’s Nick Nurse noted Flagg’s ability to “regather his composure” throughout games despite dealing with the mental and physical fatigue that comes with playing heavy minutes while handling a lot of responsibilities.
“His greatest strength is his competitiveness,” a West GM said. “He’s a motherf—er.”
Several coaches have commented on Flagg’s relentless effort regardless of circumstances.
“When he doesn’t play well, I still really like watching him play because of the way he plays,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “The intensity, I think that takes you a long way because you’re going to go through ups and downs when you’re young. He’s really impressive.”
Flagg’s blend of size, skill and feel for the game is unique, but it’s his competitive character that earns the most praise from people around the league.
“It’s very rare that you get a guy that is that skilled and he plays the hardest of anybody on both sides of the floor,” an East scout said. “That’s a winning player.”
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Cooper Flagg goes coast-to-coast for 2
Cooper Flagg grabs the rebound and finishes at the other end of the floor with a layup.
FLAGG ARRIVED IN the NBA with as much hype and anticipation as any American prospect since arguably LeBron James 23 years before.
James was the only frequent reference point for Flagg’s offensive production as an 18-year-old. Flagg, who turned 19 on Dec. 21, broke James’ NBA records for the most points (42) and assists (11) in a game at 18. James is the only player ever to score more points per game at that age, averaging 20.2 points as an 18-year-old, compared with Flagg’s 18.8.
Talent evaluators consider Flagg’s scoring to be somewhat of a pleasant surprise. He was the consensus top-ranked player on draft boards because of his all-around impact, but there was some skepticism that Flagg could be a primary scorer, especially early in his career.
“I actually thought his offense would take longer than it has,” a West general manager said. “All these guys being out has given him freedom to explore and expand his game. He’s so big, and he’s realized he can just get to his spots. I’ve always thought he’d be that 1B [offensive option], but he’s an alpha for your team. He plugs every gap.”
Flagg, the only rookie to rank among the top three in his class in total points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals, is the betting favorite for Rookie of the Year. His primary competitor for that honor is Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel, Flagg’s roommate last season at Duke. Knueppel is averaging 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He’s shooting 43.5% from 3-point range and is on pace to shatter Keegan Murray‘s rookie record of 206 3s made.
Flagg’s most glaring weakness is his 3-point shot (28.6%), a facet of his game that people around the league predict will develop as he reworks his shot mechanics during offseason work. But he’s shooting 53.5% inside the arc, beating defenders with a blend of skill and physicality, a frightening thought considering that he’ll add significant bulk and strength as his body matures.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me is his athleticism,” a West scout said. “If I’m the GM here, I’m adding as much shooting as possible and building around him for a long time.”
Flagg has already proved to be an outstanding driver despite Dallas’ spacing issues due to a lack of perimeter shooting. According to NBA Advanced Stats, Flagg ranks 12th in the league with 339 points off drives, shooting 53.5% in those situations.
Scouting reports note that Flagg is especially effective as a left-handed driver and finisher despite being a natural righty. He’s the only player in the league with at least 60 made layups and dunks with his left hand and with his right hand, according to ESPN Research. He has 109 attempted layups and dunks with his left hand this season, the second most of any righty in the league, trailing only Atlanta’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker, according to GeniusIQ tracking. He also often makes floaters and hooks in traffic with his off hand.
“His ability to finish with both hands in traffic at the rim and just outside the lane and restricted area is impressive,” an East scout said. “He’s a hard left driver. I think teams will pick up on that more and more, which could lower his efficiency.”
Flagg has wowed the league’s veterans with his poise, prompting three-time MVP Nikola Jokic to say the teenager “looked really mature out there” after Flagg’s 33-point, 9-rebound, 9-assist performance in a Dec. 23 win over the Denver Nuggets. Flagg has shown that he’s remarkably comfortable as the primary option closing games. He ranks seventh in the league in clutch points (72) and assists (13) in clutch situations, defined as the score being within five points in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime.
“He’s what everyone thought he would be,” a West pro personnel director said. “He’s 18 years old and closing out games — making shots and making plays to close games. That’s just not normal. That’s something really special.”
ESPN’s Matt Williams contributed to this story.
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The Team USA skating power couple of Madison Chock and Evan Bates have withdrawn from the upcoming ice dance world championship.
The decision will end their season and likely their competitive careers after their performances at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
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Team USA’s Madison Chock and Evan Bates pose with their gold medals after winning the figure skating team event at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 8, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP Photo)
Chock and Bates joined Olympic teammate, gold medal sensation Alysa Liu, in withdrawing from worlds, after Liu announced she was withdrawing this past weekend, surprising many fans.
Chock and Bates helped the U.S. defend its Olympic figure skating team gold medal in February, then added a bittersweet silver in the individual competition. They were a close second behind the French duo of Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron, a result that was heavily scrutinized due to the scoring margins turned in by the French judge, Jézabel Dabouis.
“We left it all on the ice in Milan,” Bates said. “Our season feels complete with those four performances where we delivered our best.”
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Madison Chock and Evan Bates with the silver medals, left, and France’s Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry with the gold at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 11, 2026. (Fabrizio Carabelli/PA Images via Getty Images)
The decision prompted immense criticism from fans who believed the judge did not deliver accurate scores. However, the couple ultimately chose not to appeal the outcome.
Chock and Bates have not officially retired, but they have hinted for the better part of four years that they would move away from the competitive scene after the Milan Cortina Games. They will do so as two of the most decorated skaters in U.S. history, winning a record seven national titles, three gold medals at the Grand Prix Final and numerous Grand Prix events.
They have been on the podium at the past four world championships and triumphed at the past three.
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Madison Chock and Evan Bates compete during the ice dancing free skate in figure skating at the Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
“While we have decided not to compete at the world championships, we hold dear the incredible memories from winning the last three years,” Bates said. “Those achievements have meant so much to us. We couldn’t be more appreciative of all the love and support.”
Caroline Green and Michael Parsons will replace Chock and Bates on the U.S. ice dance squad in Prague. They will join Olympic teams of Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko and the duo of Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Sports
Sherrone Moore’s alleged mistress speaks out, claims ‘years of manipulation’ from disgraced ex-Michigan coach
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Attorneys for Paige Shiver, the former executive assistant of ex-Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore and his alleged mistress, released a statement after his no-contest plea that dropped some charges against him this past Friday.
The Action Injury Law Group’s statement, obtained by Fox News Channel, claimed Shiver endured “years of manipulation, harassment, and exploitation by a man who held enormous power over her professional life as the head football coach of one of the nation’s most prominent college football programs.”
The statement also accused Moore of creating an environment where Shiver “felt pressured, intimated and unable to escape conduct that should never occur in any workplace – let alone at a public university.”
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Kelli Moore, left, walks with her husband former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, and his attorney Ellen Michaels at the 14A-1 District Court in Ann Arbor on Friday, March 6, 2026. (Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
The Chicago-based law group’s statement was first reported by the Detroit News.
Moore was facing charges of stalking, breaking and entering and home invasion of the apartment of Shiver, where authorities said he broke in to confront his alleged mistress to blame her for his dismissal. He even threatened to kill himself with butter knives in the apartment.
Moore struck a no-contest plea deal the same day a judge planned to hear a challenge to Moore’s arrest in December 2025, including felony home invasion. Those previous charges were dropped in exchange for the no-contest plea to misdemeanor trespassing and misdemeanor malicious use of a telecommunications device.
“Today’s no-contest plea in the criminal trespassing case involving disgraced former University of Michigan head football coach Sheronne Moore represents a critical moment of acknowledgment and accountability following a frightening and deeply disturbing incident,” the Action Injury Law Group’s statement began. “Not surprisingly, Sheronne Moore’s no-contest plea was entered a mere days following press reports alleging his failure to report sexual assault allegations against former Michigan assistant coach LaTroy Lewis.
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field after the 31-12 loss to Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
“With the resolution of Mr. Moore’s criminal legal proceedings today, all eyes are now squarely focused on the University of Michigan, Interim President Domenico Grasso, President-Elect Kent Syverud, General Counsel Tim Lynch, and the Board of Regents to see whether they take the swift and decisive action needed to make amends for the University’s painful missteps and to restore a genuine sense of trust and respect among its employees, students, and alums.”
Shiver’s attorneys questioned Michigan’s athletic program as a whole following the incident, adding that their client believes “she may not be the only person who experienced inappropriate, coercive, or predatory behavior from this individual.”
“It raises urgent and troubling questions about how a powerful figure within a major university athletic program was able to engage in years of inappropriate conduct toward a subordinate without meaningful intervention or oversight,” the statement read.
“Accountability does not end with a single criminal case. It requires truth, transparency, and a commitment to ensuring that no one in a position of authority is ever permitted to abuse their power again. Our client is continuing the difficult process of healing. She remains grateful for the support she has received and hopes that her decision to come forward will help protect others in the future.”
Moore’s sentencing is scheduled for April 14 for his new charges, which have a potential maximum sentence of six months and 30 days in prison.
Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, center, appears in the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)
“All the charges against Mr. Moore were not supported by facts and law,” said Moore’s attorney Ellen Michaels, standing alongside him and his wife, Kelli, outside the courtroom last week. “The dismissal of those charges validates the concerns we raised about the investigation from the very beginning. Mr. Moore is pleased to put this behind him and move forward.
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“It’s not stalking if the communication has a legitimate purpose.”
Moore was fired on Dec. 10, 2025 after two seasons running Michigan’s football program following Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. The university cited an inappropriate relationship with a staff member as the reason for his firing, with Shiver ending the affair with Moore a few days before his firing, while cooperating with Michigan’s investigation.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska and men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg have agreed to a three-year contract extension after he guided the Cornhuskers to a school-record 15 wins in Big Ten Conference play.
The school announced the deal Monday, days before the league tournament begins with Nebraska as the No. 2 seed. Hoiberg is now under contract through the 2031-32 season. He previously signed a two-year extension in 2024.
“Fred has built this program step by step, and his leadership has Nebraska positioned to continue to compete at a high level in the Big Ten Conference and nationally,” athletic director Troy Dannen said in a statement. “Fred is one of the most respected coaches in the country by his peers, and his success has been recognized throughout the college basketball world.”
The Huskers, who have won 20-plus games in three consecutive seasons for the first time in school history, enter the Big Ten Tournament with a 26-5 record. The team reached a program-best No. 5 national ranking in January.
“We have a long family history with the University of Nebraska, and the support we have received over the last seven years is truly remarkable,” Hoiberg said. “We are blessed with world-class facilities, but the people are what make Nebraska special. Our goal is to continue building a program that our fans can embrace and have pride in because it represents the values of Nebraska.”
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