Rookie of the Year
The Dallas Mavericks have found their future in rookie Cooper Flagg. After being the number one overall selection in the 2025 NBA draft, the young power forward from Duke has been outstanding in his first season. Cooper Flagg now holds two records in NBA history: the most points scored by an 18 year old, with 42 points, and now the most by a 19 year old, with 49 points. Just two nights after recording a historic 49 points, the Mavericks traveled on the road to Houston where Flagg scored another 34 points!
Although Cooper Flagg is progressing very well in the NBA, and is clearly establishing himself as a future piece of not only the Mavericks franchise, but the NBA itself, the Mavericks hold a losing record, sitting at below .400. The question is, what is happening with the Dallas Mavericks?
For starters, a key factor in the lack of success in Dallas is injuries. Dallas is missing three key starters: Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Derek Lively. Anthony Davis will miss another few weeks as he is recovering from ligament damage in his left hand. Davis has been disappointing this season to say the least; he has had limited playing time for the Mavericks and has yet to establish himself as a meaningful starter. Davis’ continuous stretch of injuries has proven once again that the trade a year ago, bringing Davis to the Mavericks and trading away Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, was truly a mistake.
Kyrie Irving may soon return to the action as the anticipation grows stronger for the fan favorite. Irving, the veteran shooting guard, tore his ACL back in March of 2025. Almost 11 months later, the star has yet to return to the court. Many speculate that the Mavericks may bench Kyrie for the remainder of this season and activate him in the 2026-2027 season. Most fans are disappointed by this potential outcome, as it wastes opportunities for Cooper Flagg to gain meaningful playing time with his new teammate, and it also prevents the Mavericks from pursuing a playoff push.
Derek Lively II, the powerful center from Duke, was drafted in 2022. He was immediately seen as a foundational piece for this Mavericks team, and was a big part in the Mavericks 2024 Finals Run, which made him a fan favorite. Lively is well known for his size and strength inside the paint, and his post control and rebound rate made him a true weapon for this Mavericks arsenal. Unfortunately, in early December, Lively suffered a right-foot injury that required surgery, and he has been sidelined ever since. Lively is expected to be fully recovered and prepared for the 2026-2027 season.
With all of these key injuries, the Dallas Maverick’s lack of success in 2026 would be understandable. . Yet, Cooper Flagg carries the team week in and week out. Cooper Flagg’s offensive skillset has truly developed in the past month. He has shown great strides in his three-point shooting range, his control inside the paint and his mid-range shooting. Fans are well aware of his ability to drive inside and create memorable dunks that have blown up over social media. However, fans are more excited about the overall development and how he has become a true fan favorite.
Fans were skeptical when the Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg. The fanbase was recovering after the loss of Dončić and was not fully prepared to accept a new face of the franchise. Yet Flagg has won the hearts of all Dallas fans and has proven it both on the court and off the court. He has connected with the city and its fans through various charitable events, and performs on gameday to give all fans an exciting performance they will never forget.
Fans may need to be prepared for another losing season. Although Cooper Flagg continues to improve, there are no signs of improvement from the bench, as well as the loss of Derek Lively II and an indecisive timeline for both Davis and Irving to return to the lineup. With the current projections for the season, the best thing for the Dallas Mavericks this season is to continue developing Flagg, look to their bench for potential, provide full recoveries for all players and look to improve through trades and the draft in the off-season. The future of the Dallas Mavericks is in the hands of Cooper Flagg, the undisputed rookie of the year.