With a comfortable lead against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg headed to the bench for good early in the fourth quarter. He put on his warmups, sat next to teammate Daniel Gafford and watched the Mavericks close out a 130-93 victory.
Moments later, the Mavericks’ TV broadcast caught Flagg with a small plastic bag in hand, taking out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and having a bite.
“Boy, that looks good right now,” former Mavericks guard Derek Harper said on the broadcast.
It marked the second consecutive game Flagg enjoyed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the action.
Last Friday, his in-game meal came during a 112-100 win over the Utah Jazz in which he racked up 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Cameras similarly spotted him taking a bite. Flagg followed that up with 25 points, a career-high 12 assists and five rebounds in Sunday’s game.
Not surprisingly, reporters asked the second-year forward about his in-game snack. He first nodded to the Mavs’ strength and medical staff before clarifying that he’s trying to put on weight and gain muscle.
“So those requirements I got to meet. I’m just trying to stay ahead of it,” Flagg said Sunday. “We got another game [Monday]. So just trying to get my calories and stay ahead of it and be ready for another one [Monday].”
Flagg said that he prefers smooth peanut butter and grape jelly. He added that he also enjoys sandwiches with peanut butter and banana, while sometimes adding honey.
The peanut butter and banana combination was one that Gafford, who sat next to him during the postgame news conference Sunday, couldn’t get behind.
“That one I understand: peanut butter, banana and honey. But I don’t know about just [peanut butter and banana],” Gafford said.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, who contributes as an analyst on Amazon Prime, spoke about Flagg’s sandwich consumption. He explained that sometimes “you need a little sugar hit” to keep it going on the court.
Whatever the benefit for Flagg, the Mavericks surely approve of the PB&J. Flagg is in the midst of a potential breakout campaign, and put up 43 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 125-122 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
Though he didn’t have one versus Indiana, Flagg added postgame that he forgot to bring his peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the press conference instead.
“I was supposed to bring the peanut butter and jelly. Just know, I was supposed to have a peanut butter and jelly. So I’m going to have one, but it was supposed to be this thing,” he said.
The NBA’s obsession with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches dates back to Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics in December 2007. Garnett ate one before a game, proceeded to play well, and it became a tradition — one that has been adopted by other players in the league in the years since.
Add Flagg to that list, with a twist: He eats his during the game.
