Mavericks' Cooper Flagg delivers rookie season rarely seen since Michael Jordan

Dallas Mavericks rookie forward Cooper Flagg completes his rookie season mirroring only that of NBA legend, Michael Jordan.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 3:04am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movements and energy of a basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in vibrant colors like blue, orange, and green, conceptually representing the historic nature of Cooper Flagg's rookie season.Flagg's historic rookie season has placed him in elite company with NBA legend Michael Jordan, but the Mavericks' continued struggles raise questions about the team's ability to build a contender around their young star.Dallas Today

Dallas Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg had a rookie season for the ages, leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in 2025-26, making him and NBA legend Michael Jordan the only rookies to do so since the 1973-74 campaign. The 19-year-old rookie was phenomenal, recording 21 points per game, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 29.5 percent from beyond the arc in 70 games and 33.5 minutes of action.

Why it matters

Flagg's historic rookie season has put him in elite company with Michael Jordan, cementing his status as a rising star in the NBA. However, the Mavericks' disappointing season, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year after making the 2024 NBA Finals, raises questions about the team's direction and ability to build a contender around their young star.

The details

According to BetMGM, Flagg is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year with -175 odds after posting great numbers. Those -175 odds imply that he has a 63 percent chance of winning the award. Right behind Flagg is his former college teammate, guard Kon Knueppel, with +135 odds. After the Mavericks' final game, Flagg made it clear that he would be disappointed if he fell short of winning the award.

  • The 2025-26 NBA season just concluded.

The players

Cooper Flagg

A 19-year-old rookie forward for the Dallas Mavericks who had a historic season, becoming the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Michael Jordan

A Hall of Fame NBA player and one of the greatest players of all time, who was the last rookie to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals before Flagg.

Kon Knueppel

Flagg's former college teammate and a rookie guard who is second in the Rookie of the Year odds behind Flagg.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, obviously I'd be disappointed. That's something that I think all rookies come out and they strive for, and that's an award that they wanna get; so, I definitely be disappointed. At the end of the day, I think I went out and showed what I'm capable of.”

— Cooper Flagg, Mavericks Rookie

What’s next

The NBA will announce the Rookie of the Year award in the coming weeks, with Cooper Flagg the heavy favorite to win the honor after his historic season.

The takeaway

Cooper Flagg's rookie season has been one for the ages, as he joined Michael Jordan as the only players to lead their team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals since 1973-74. While Flagg's individual success is undeniable, the Mavericks' continued struggles to make the playoffs raise questions about the team's ability to build a contender around their young star.