Cooper Flagg sat on the couch Wednesday surrounded by family and friends, waiting to see whether he had accomplished the biggest goal of his rookie season.
As the clock crept toward 6 p.m. CT, Flagg admitted the nerves started to kick in.
Then Grant Hill delivered the news that officially stamped Flagg into Mavericks history: NBA Rookie of the Year.
“It was probably one of the first times I won an award and I had to find out with everyone else,” Flagg said during Wednesday’s news conference. “That was pretty cool.”
Flagg became the third Mavericks player to win the award, joining Luka Dončić and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who shared co-Rookie of the Year honors with Hill in 1995.
“It’s surreal in a sense; that was a long time ago,” Kidd said when asked whether the moment brought back memories from his own award-winning season. “But to be around someone who’s so talented and is just an incredible person to win Rookie of the Year is special.
“It means a lot to the fans. It means a lot to his teammates and coaches and the organization. But again, the fans, because it shows the future is very bright.”
For much of the spring, the award appeared headed toward Flagg’s former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who received 80 of 100 first-place votes in ESPN’s final straw poll in April — a poll that has historically foreshadowed award winners.
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.”
