Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg spent Saturday night connecting with fans at Indy Sports Card as part of Fanatics Collectibles’ annual Topps Rip Night, a worldwide event that drew collectors to more than 800 hobby shops across 20 countries.
Flagg, who was already in Indianapolis for Sunday’s Mavericks–Pacers matchup, greeted fans who waited more than three hours for the opportunity to meet him. According to Fanatics, tens of thousands of collectors participated globally throughout the day in what has become one of the hobby’s largest coordinated events.
Kids and longtime collectors alike took photos, asked questions, traded cards and participated in pack openings alongside athletes at participating locations nationwide.
Dallas Mavericks Rookie Engages in Pack Openings and Purchases Duke Teammate Cards
During the event, Flagg opened Topps packs in-store and pulled a Dylan Harper Chrome NBA Delight card numbered out of 10, adding to the evening’s buzz among collectors.
He also purchased trading cards depicting Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Kneuppel — his former teammate at Duke — with Topps estimating the cards were valued at more than $7,000.
The moment underscored Flagg’s reputation not only as one of the NBA’s most marketable young stars, but also as an engaged collector within the hobby community.
Saturday’s Indianapolis stop was part of a broader slate of appearances that included Tom Brady in Miami, Anthony Edwards in Minneapolis, Caleb Williams in Beverly Hills and several Major League Baseball All-Stars across multiple cities.
Event Showcases Growing Market Around Cooper Flagg
Flagg’s participation reflects the expanding commercial footprint surrounding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
His debut NBA jersey reportedly sold in a private transaction for approximately $1 million earlier this season — a rare benchmark for active rookie memorabilia — signaling the level of demand tied to his name.
On the court, Flagg has backed that momentum with production. The 18-year-old set an NBA record for most points scored in a game by a teenager with a 49-point, 10-rebound performance against Charlotte, surpassing the previous teenage mark of 45. That outing also marked the highest-scoring game by a rookie since 2019 and made him the youngest player in league history to record a 40-point, 10-rebound game.
He previously became the youngest player ever to score 35 in a game and logged four consecutive outings of at least 32 points heading into the All-Star break — the first teenager in NBA history to string together three straight 30-point performances.
Across back-to-back games against Charlotte and Houston earlier this season, Flagg totaled 83 points and 22 rebounds on better than 61% shooting, joining Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Walt Bellamy as the only rookies to reach those combined marks in a two-game span.
Rising National Profile Continues During Road Trip
Flagg’s off-court visibility continues to climb alongside his statistical accomplishments.
Later this week, he is scheduled to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, February 23, following NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage. The late-night booking adds another national platform to what has already been a headline-grabbing rookie season.
For now, his immediate focus remains on recovery. Flagg was ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Indiana Pacers as he continues to work back from a left midfoot sprain.
Even so, Saturday’s turnout in Indianapolis illustrated the broader picture: whether on the hardwood or inside a hobby shop, the demand surrounding the Mavericks rookie continues to expand.
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