.jpg)
2 hours ago
3
Cooper Flagg has yet to make an impact like his NBA Rookie of the Year (ROY) rivals, but he's leading the race to win the honors as an odds-on favorite. According to Polymarket Sports, Flagg has a 42.0% chance to win, 4.0% higher than the consensus ROY ladder race leader, V.J. Edgecombe.
Meanwhile, his teammate Kon Knueppel at 8.0% and Pelicans' Derick Queen at 6.9% are the other two players in contention. On the surface level, Flagg's numbers don't stand out compared to his rivals.
Flagg has averaged 13.9 points per game in 10 outings, ranking fifth among rookies. He has the worst field goal shooting percentage among the top 14 rookie scores at 40.3%.
•
Flagg hasn't had a breakout rookie game yet, either. While he's being handed the keys to a franchise and with more responsibilities compared to his rookie classmates, fans weren't impressed with him being an odds-on favorite.
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Here's how they reacted on X:
We just handing out charity awards now bc his team keeps getting dog walked??
this is so disrespectful to Cedric Coward & Kon Knuppel lmaooo
This is horribly disrespectful to VJ and Coward. Coward is having one of the best rookie seasons of all time so far, the fact that he isn't in the top 4 is absolutely insane
What has he done for him to retake the lead? NBA media plays such a huge role in these kids careers and here is a prime example so many players playing better than him….. 😒😒😒😒
He was overall pretty poor last night, bad decisions with the ball, inefficient etc.. way too much being asked of him. Edgecombe and Knueppel should’ve comfortably ahead as things stand
Can’t win if odds are higher than fg%
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki motivates Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg's rookie season has been filled with adversity. At 18, the Mavericks fans may have expected a bit too much from the No. 1 pick, possibly even hoping for an All-NBA season to cope with the controversial Luka Doncic trade.
On the court, the pressure seemed even more as the Mavericks have forced him to adapt as a full-time point guard and offense initiator. At a point where most first-timers are getting used to a multitude of nuances of the NBA, Flagg also had to work on playing a new position on a team with playoff aspirations.
It has significantly contributed to his early struggles and the Mavericks' 3-7 record, creating frustration among the fan base. Nevertheless, Dirk Nowitzki has backed Cooper Flagg.
Here's what the 2011 Mavericks and NBA champion said on Friday on Prime after Dallas lost 118-104 to the Memphis Grizzlies:
"Cooper, (if I were you) I would just keep on working. I mean, I know you have a tremendous work ethic. So, you work your way through it. You come in the next day, you're the first one in the gym. "You get shots up ... get with the assistant coach, watch film, and you just get better. I think that's the bottom line. Losing or not, you try to keep a positive attitude."On Saturday, the Mavericks won their last game 111-105 on the road against the Wizards, snapping a four-game losing streak. Cooper Flagg didn't have a flashy game, but he was looking comfortable, scoring 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals, while managing the most physical game of his career.
He will hope to have another solid game when the Mavericks take on the Bucks on Monday and lead Dallas to its first winning streak.
Why did you not like this content?
- Clickbait / Misleading
- Factually Incorrect
- Hateful or Abusive
- Baseless Opinion
- Too Many Ads
- Other
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
Edited by Arhaan Raje
English (US)