NBA Hall of Famer Makes Something Clear About Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Winning ROTY

Cooper Flagg is officially the third Rookie of the Year winner in Dallas Mavericks history. The award was announced on Monday night, ending months of debate between him and Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel, who also had a historic season.

It doesn't seem like that actually ended any of the debates, though. Talking heads around the NBA world continue to discuss whether the correct player won the award, if Kon Knueppel's poor performance in the Play-In Tournament made voters change their minds, and just how special Cooper Flagg is after winning the award.

NBA Hall-of-Famer Paul Pierce made his case on "No Fouls Given", thinking that Flagg was the correct winner.

︀︀“I absolutely think they picked the right guy. Kon had a good stretch, you know, toward the middle after All-Star break, but I think Cooper at the end solidified his place as the best rookie," Pierce stated. "I mean, look at this. You’re first or second in all the major statistical categories amongst rookies. Like that’s, I mean, he had to do everything for his team. Knueppel was a impact player, but we all know he didn’t have the same focus on him as Cooper had on him in Dallas. So I think they got it right. Both rookies had spectacular years.”

Paul Pierce on Cooper Flagg winning rookie of the year award:

“I absolutely think they picked the right guy. Kon had a good stretch, you know toward the middle after All-Star break, but I think Cooper at the end solidified his place as the best rookie. I mean, look at this.… pic.twitter.com/ieImJX8NCD
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 29, 2026

Cooper Flagg Should Have Been the Favorite All Season

Cooper Flagg had mostly been the favorite all season, pacing the field for betting odds. Knueppel would chip away a little bit, but Flagg was always far ahead. Then, Flagg injured his foot just before the All-Star Break, and it was an uphill battle from there, one he was able to overcome.

Knueppel's argument for Rookie of the Year never made sense, though. Some people in the media thought that because he was impacting winning, he should win the award, despite Flagg having the better counting stats.

A rookie impacting winning has never been the precedent for the award. It has always been which rookie is the best, and Flagg was the best rookie this season. That isn't to discredit what Knueppel did this year, shattering the rookie three-point record and leading the NBA in three-pointers made. However, he did that as the team's third option behind LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, so he wasn't facing the opposition's best defender each night like Flagg was.

Flagg was the rightful winner. Even if it was one of the closest races we've ever seen, they absolutely chose the correct rookie.

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