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Hand-off. Two dribbles downhill. The area around the free-throw line was wide open. The latest No. 1 draft pick stopped, popped, and hit. His mid-range jumper was smooth - he looked like he had done it a million times. But this was Cooper Flagg’s first NBA bucket, igniting an exciting, electrifying, and extraordinary career.
His rookie effort earned him the Rookie of the Year accolade, after he edged his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in voting. The race proved tighter than expected, as the sharpshooter from Charlotte shattered multiple three-point records. But Flagg’s late-season surge sealed it - he erupted for 51, 45, and 33 points in April, averaging 29.2 points per game for the month.
The Dallas Mavericks didn’t make the playoffs, so Flagg’s inaugural campaign has concluded. But he did it all for Dallas this year - at six-foot-nine, he was running the point, posting up smaller defenders, knocking down triples, dishing out assists, and making his presence felt on defense.
He finished averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 46.8% from the field and 29.5% from beyond the arc. After taking home the ROY hardware, he landed praise from the Mavericks franchise legend and one of the best players to ever play in the NBA - Dirk Nowitzki.
"Started at point guard at 6’9, something he’s never done. To me, he’s had an incredible year. He led the team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. There are only two other rookies who have ever done it. So, he had some historic numbers as a teenager, that’s the crazy thing, he’s only 19," said Nowitzki.
"Well deserved, Cooper, we’re proud of you."
Nowitzki boasts a decorated resume overflowing with success - he led the Mavericks to their one and only NBA championship in 2011, also winning the Finals MVP award, and a regular season MVP in 2007. Yet he wasn’t the best rookie in his debut season.
Flagg has joined Jason Kidd and Luka Doncic as the third Maverick to win the award. He also became the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984/85 to lead his team in four major categories.
"It means everything," said Flagg after winning the Rookie of the Year. "This award and this recognition are something all rookies come into the year fighting for and competing for.
"I think just the recognition means a lot to me. All the hard work, all the hours I put in throughout the year and throughout the years previous and throughout my life to get to this moment."
By securing the ROY title, Flagg made history and kept his personal award streak going. He is the first player ever to win National High School Player of the Year - both Gatorade and Naismith - then NCAA Player of the Year, followed by NBA Rookie of the Year.
For three consecutive years, he ended his season with a major award. Even more impressively, he’s still a teenager and won’t turn 20 until late December. He’s 19 but plays like a veteran. He’s poised, dynamic, impactful, and makes good decisions. When Flagg arrived in Dallas - touted as a generational talent - the fanbase surrounded him with high hopes. The hype was getting louder as the season opener approached. The struggling Mavericks were desperately looking for a new hero to save the team.
Despite being 18 years old at the time, Flagg didn’t shy away; he put Dallas on his back and started carrying the franchise towards a new identity and legacy. He’s proven he belongs. Now, he’s already eyeing the next thing - winning.
His first NBA season ended a couple of weeks ago, but the phenom is already thinking about what’s next. What to improve. How to get better so he can lead Dallas to another Larry O’Brien Trophy. He said he was going to work on many different things.
"There is always room for improvement in every area of the game. I think there is a ton of growth that I can make offensively, off the dribble, and making reads at a high level. I'm excited to just get in the gym, especially with some of the guys, and continue to learn and grow in a lot of different areas," said Flagg. His potential is glowing miles away beyond the hardwood. His head coach, Jason Kidd, has been challenging Flagg since the beginning to step up as a leader and grow his skill set. He knows his ceiling is high and credits Flagg for putting teammates first.
"He’s 19, and he’s not about awards - he’s about winning," said Kidd. "And I think he was being honest when he said he never lost this much. For him, all the great ones go through it. I believe he’s going to be a great one. He carried a heavy load for us this year. He wasn’t afraid of the challenge."
Flagg was born and raised in Newport, Maine - a town of just 3,200 people, not exactly known for producing stellar athletes. But then came Cooper, emerging early with extraordinary talent. He dominated older competition - in third grade, he regularly scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against sixth graders.
