Dallas Mavericks fans collectively held their breath as the face of their franchise went down with a scary injury Friday against the Indiana Pacers. A trailing Aaron Nesmith fouled Cooper Flagg hard on a breakaway dunk attempt, sending the former No. 1 pick crashing onto the court shoulder-first.
Nesmith got hit with a Flagrant 1 and drew uproar from Flagg's teammates, who immediately confronted Nesmith. Naji Marshall and Nesmith both received technicals in an ensuing scuffle.
Aaron Nesmith was called for a Flagrant 1 for this play on Cooper Flagg.
— ESPN (@espn) October 24, 2026
Double technicals were given to Nesmith and Naji Marshall after the play. pic.twitter.com/P0xLooKo9S
The extent of Flagg's injury is unclear right now, but even a short-term absence would be devastating for the Mavericks. Flagg is coming off a Rookie of the Year season in which he averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.
Here's what we know about Flagg's status.
When is Cooper Flagg coming back?
May said postgame Flagg will be evaluated over the next couple days, so clarity on his timeline should emerge soon.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Cooper Flagg injury update: Latest on Mavericks star after exiting vs. Pacers