Mavericks' Cooper Flagg building Rookie of the Year case

Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick for the Dallas Mavericks, but that doesn't guarantee his spot for Rookie of the Year honors.

Dec 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks up at the crowd during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are home to Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick, who is in the running towards becoming the Rookie of the Year.

Flagg is averaging 17.3 points per game so far this season, which is why CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn listed him as the favorite to be the league's Rookie of the Year.

"Flagg is starting to catch up. He's up above 20 points per game in his last nine outings, and while the efficiency hasn't reached Knueppel's levels, that's mostly a function of cold 3-point shooting that should turn around. He's not playing point guard anymore, but he remains a solid wing playmaker who has plenty of on-ball responsibility," Quinn wrote.

"That's really manifesting in the clutch, where Flagg has scored 52 points on 59.3% shooting. None of his teammates have scored even half as much in those settings, and he leads the team in clutch assists as well. The Mavericks trust Flagg when it counts. That's almost never true of rookies, and we haven't even covered his defense.

"Flagg is an essential component of the No. 7 defense in basketball, one that has had practically no other front court players on the court consistently. Daniel Gafford, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively, the monstrous rim-protecting trio that was supposed to power this unit, has played 32 of a possible 75 games thus far. But Flagg has sat just once."

Dec 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

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Flagg competing for Rookie of the Year against Kon Knueppel

Flagg is the favorite to win the award, but Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel is right behind him in the race. Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, and his teammate at Duke.

Knueppel has been strong at the start of the season, but if Flagg continues along his current trajectory, the Mavericks could have one of the league's major award winners.

The Mavs are back in action on Friday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT.

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