Cooper Flagg All But Guaranteed to Win First NBA Award — Is He Already the Most Inevitable Rookie of All Time?
Every so often, the NBA sees a prospect who feels different. Someone who doesn’t just arrive in the league with hype but with a sense of inevitability like their greatness is pre-written in basketball scripture. For the Dallas Mavericks, that someone is Cooper Flagg.
At only 18 years old, Flagg hasn’t even played a single NBA regular season game, and yet the conversation surrounding him has already shifted from can he succeed? to how soon until he dominates?.
And if you believe ESPN’s latest projections, the answer might be sooner than anyone imagined.
The Rookie of the Year Race That Already Feels Over
ESPN’s annual “Summer Forecast panel” brought together writers, reporters, and analysts to weigh in on the NBA’s most pressing storylines ahead of the 2025-26 season.
When it came to the Rookie of the Year debate, five names surfaced. But when the votes were tallied, the result was nothing short of a landslide.
- Cooper Flagg: 121 points (over 55% of the total votes)
- The rest of the field: left fighting for scraps.
Not only did Flagg dominate the ROY predictions, but his vote total was also the highest given to any candidate across all categories, including MVP and Coach of the Year. That kind of consensus is almost unheard of.
It’s not just that Flagg is considered the favorite—he’s viewed as the obvious and overwhelming choice.
A Résumé That Speaks for Itself
What makes the hype surrounding Flagg so believable is that his track record already looks like something from a future Hall of Famer.
At Duke, he was nothing short of spectacular:
- 19.2 points per game
- 7.5 rebounds
- 4.2 assists
- 1.4 steals & 1.3 blocks
- 48.1% shooting from the floor, 38.5% from three
Oh, and he capped it all off by winning National College Player of the Year—as a freshman.
He then doubled down on his reputation in NBA Summer League, where he didn’t just put up numbers but showcased the versatility that makes scouts drool. Step-back threes, chase-down blocks, crisp passing, elite defensive rotations—Flagg looked like a player who belonged in the league on Day One.
Dallas: The Perfect Launchpad for Greatness
What makes Flagg’s situation even more unique is his team context. The Mavericks aren’t a rebuilding squad asking him to carry them from scratch. He’s joining a roster that features:
- Anthony Davis anchoring the paint and mentoring him defensively.
- Kyrie Irving (when healthy) providing scoring and playmaking.
- A front office that’s built a roster around winning now.
This isn’t the typical top pick trying to survive on a lottery-bound team. This is a potential superstar being placed into a playoff-ready environment where he can thrive immediately.
As Stephen A. Smith put it bluntly:
“With Flagg in Dallas alongside AD and Kyrie, the Mavericks are the biggest threat to the OKC Thunder. Period.”
The Weight of Expectations — and Why Flagg Might Just Handle It
Hype is one thing. Living up to it is another.
Most rookies struggle under the pressure of being “the next big thing.” But Flagg is different. Coaches rave about his elite work ethic. Teammates talk about his humility and maturity. Scouts point to his NBA-ready skillset.
Instead of running from expectations, Flagg seems to welcome them—even thrive under them.
That’s why, when you look at the Rookie of the Year race, it feels less like a debate and more like a coronation waiting to happen.
The Bigger Picture
Winning Rookie of the Year would be just the beginning. For many, Flagg represents something larger: the league’s next face, a player capable of carrying the torch from LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant into the NBA’s future.
If he stays healthy, this award might be the first of many in a career filled with them. MVPs. Championships. Finals MVPs. The list could go on.
And yet, for now, the focus is clear: Flagg hasn’t even suited up for his first NBA regular-season game, but he’s already the most obvious Rookie of the Year pick in decades.
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