NBA’s Top Two Picks Shine on Christmas Day

NBA newbies shone on the national stage.

Dec 25, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) shoots a three point basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Christmas Day games are typically reserved for proven superstars, though a few NBA newbies managed to sneak their way into the spotlight Thursday.

Forward Cooper Flagg and guard Dylan Harper were the 2025 NBA Draft’s top two picks months ago, and have so far lived up to the hype through a handful of professional games. That was especially apparent on the national stage, when the Mavericks and Spurs faced off against Western Conference opponents looking to secure Christmas wins.

Flagg was the top standout on the day, helping the Mavericks against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

Dallas ultimately couldn’t secure the win, falling by 10 in the Bay, though Flagg continued his recent reign of terror. He scored 27 points in total, adding six rebounds and five assists in the process. He shot an efficient 13-for-21 overall, hitting one of his three triples. 

COOPER FLAGG'S #NBAXmas DEBUT ✅

27 PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST

Showed out despite the Mavs' loss 💪 pic.twitter.com/1qhXHtQQGL

— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2025

After a moderately slow start for an 18-year-old, Flagg has come on strong in recent weeks. In 11 games prior to the Christmas bout, he’s scored 25.1 points per game on 53% shooting overall, hitting on just 28% of his threes. The former Blue Devil is a proven perimeter shooter, meaning his final stage could look even better statistically.

In that same span, he’s been able to tack on 6.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per game.

While his former Duke teammate in Hornets guard Kon Knueppel has given him a run for his money, it seems Flagg is ultimately going to coast to this year’s Rookie of the Year Award.

Harper was less flashy, scoring 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting, though he was able to help his squad take down the defending champion OKC Thunder for the third time in two weeks. His five made buckets at the rim on great efficiency were especially notable given OKC’s perimeter defenders, most of which are All-Defense level.

DYLAN HARPER RISE UP. 🔥🔥🔥

pic.twitter.com/53vYQMW4Mi

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 25, 2025

The second overall pick hasn’t jumped off the page like a few other rookies this season, though it’s clear in his size, strength and downhill ability that the Spurs have a future star in the making next to Victor Wembanyama.

Both Flagg and Harper are off to hot NBA starts, along with the 2025 NBA Draft as a whole. Their poise on the national stage has been a microcosm of how immediately good the '25 class has been as a whole, with the potential to get even better in the coming years.