Dirk Nowitzki Reacts to Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Winning Rookie of the Year

While the Dallas Mavericks didn't make the postseason this year, they had a clear bright spot in rookie Cooper Flagg, whom they selected with the No. 1 overall pick prior to the season.

Flagg finished the year averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 46.5% from the field and 29.5% from beyond the arc.

This week, in a tight race with his former Duke teammate and roommate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, Flagg was officially named the NBA Rookie of the Year.

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Reacting to the news on Wednesday was Mavericks legend and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, widely considered the greatest player in franchise history.

"I watched Cooper all year long. The stuff he had to deal with early - all the negativity and the booing - there was a lot happening that whole season. He even started at point guard at 6-foot-9, something he's never done before. Historic numbers as a teenager," Nowitzki said. "Well deserved, Cooper. We're proud of you."

Nowitzki has been extremely supportive of Flagg all season long, and Flagg is now the face of the franchise in Dallas for what the team hopes will be years to come.

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 7:43 AM.