Cooper Flagg wins NBA Rookie of the Year, already focused on winning bigger next season

Then Flagg went full video-game mode.

Back-to-back scoring explosions of 51 and 45 points in the final weeks of the season likely shifted the race and reminded voters why Dallas spent the year building its future around the 19-year-old forward.

Still, Flagg said the competition never changed his relationship with Knueppel.

“Me and Kon, we talked all year long,” Flagg said. “We never talked about the Rookie of the Year or what people were saying about it or anything like that. It was more just support for one another and staying in contact. He’s someone who will be one of my best friends for the rest of my life.”

Wednesday also served as a glimpse into just how much Flagg already means to the Mavericks organization.

Before the news conference began, roughly 200 team employees lined both sides of the American Airlines Center hallway and applauded as Flagg walked toward the interview room. Flagg smiled, blushed and waved back appreciatively.

But his biggest grin came moments later.

Teammates Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, Dereck Lively II, Caleb Martin and Brandon Williams stood and applauded as he entered the room. Mavericks CEO Rick Welts, co-interim general manager Matt Riccardi and Flagg’s parents also attended the celebration.

Even while holding one of the league’s biggest individual honors, Flagg sounded far more focused on team success than personal accolades.

Unlike players who publicly campaign for awards, Flagg spent most of the season steering conversations back toward winning. Kidd said that mentality stood out immediately, especially during a season in which Dallas struggled to stay afloat.

“He’s 19 and he’s not about awards — he’s about winning,” Kidd said. “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.”