Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg had a standout season, matching a historic achievement by Michael Jordan. He led his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, becoming one of only two rookies to do so since 1974.
Mavericksâ Cooper Flagg delivers rookie season rarely seen since Michael Jordan originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Dallas Mavericks star forward Cooper Flagg had a rookie season for the ages.
Flagg joined NBA legend and Hall of Famer Michael Jordan in achieving an historic feat this season. Flagg led his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in 2025-26, making him and Jordan the only rookies to do so since the 1973-74 campaign.
The 19-year-old rookie was phenomenal from start to finish, 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.
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 has high expectations for himself, stating that he would be disappointed if he fell short of winning the award.
"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,"Flagg said.
Flagg may have had a great season, but the same cannot be said for his team. They endured another disappointing season, finishing the season missing the play-in once again with a 26-56 record.
This is the second consecutive season that Dallas has failed to play in the postseason after making the 2024 NBA Finals.
Cooper Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.8% from the field.
Cooper Flagg and Michael Jordan are the only rookies since 1974 to lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists, and steals in a single season.
Flagg's impressive performance helped solidify his position as a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year and contributed significantly to the Mavericks' overall success.
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