What occurs when a born winner can’t cease shedding? That is a actuality that the 2026 Rookie of the Year favourite Cooper Flagg is going through proper now. One of essentially the most dominant stars lately, the teenage sensation has been tearing down the league together with his agility and scoring prowess. While Flagg is doing fantastically individually, his staff, the Dallas Mavericks, is just the alternative, and Flagg has identified the psychological toll of turning up each recreation regardless of figuring out the eventual leads to some video games.
“It’s definitely tough, like there was times in the start of the year where it was taking a big toll on me not personally but mentally,” Flagg shared his struggles with defeats. “I don’t want to talk for anybody else, but like it’s definitely tough. Family is freaking out, like my mom, especially like she hadn’t seen me lose that much before, so she’s worried about me, and then it’s just like you’re trying to move on each night, but it’s tough.”
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Right now, the Mavs are in a whole free fall with an underwhelming 24-52 document and are nowhere close to playoff rivalry. With so many losses day in and day trip, the teenager shared the psychological implications of shedding over 50 video games in a season in The Old Man And Three podcast.
Flagg has been extraordinarily remoted this season as Anthony Davis performed simply 20 video games earlier than struggling a hand damage and was finally traded to the Washington Wizards. Similarly, Kyrie Irving tore his ACL final season and has not performed this season.
The Mavs need Irving to be the mentor to Flagg when he returns to motion for subsequent season. So technically, Flagg has been thrown into a fireplace in his rookie season, and he has emerged because the chief for the franchise. Every defeat has made him barely extra mature in coping with all of the hardships.
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The younger ahead was one of essentially the most gifted faculty stars final season with Duke, the place they misplaced solely 4 video games. So neither he nor his members of the family are used to seeing his staff lose so many video games in a single season. However, Flagg believes that this section can even assist him develop as a person.
“You got to learn how to lose. I think and learn how to take positives away and know that you might have another one tomorrow or you get one day. I think that was a big learning curve for me was just learning how to lose and how to bounce back a little bit quicker and kind of get over it quicker than previous. It’s just definitely a different feeling and you got to learn how to lose. For sure,” he added.
The teenage sensation is in a two-man battle together with his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel for the Rookie of the Year award this season. The Charlotte Hornets guard has additionally been distinctive and is giving Flagg a troublesome battle for the crown. In this to-and-fro battle, typically the private relationship between gamers turns bitter. However, Flagg has assured the fraternity that his friendship with Knueppel goes past the awards.
Cooper Flagg opens up on his relationship with former teammate Kon Knueppel amid ROTY battle
Cooper Flagg, in his sole 12 months in faculty, shared the perfect on-court chemistry with Duke’s start line guard Kon Knueppel. Both kids got here to the NBA. Flagg was the primary total choose chosen by the Dallas Mavericks, whereas Knueppel was the fourth total choose chosen by the Charlotte Hornets.
Both gamers have had sensational rookie seasons, and that’s why they’re in rivalry to win the Rookie of the Year award. Both gamers have damaged a number of rookie data for his or her respective franchises. During his latest look on the Pat McAfee Show, Flagg assured that the race for the Rookie of the Year award has not strained their relationship.
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“We don’t talk about [Rookie of the Year] specifically,” Flagg mentioned. “We’ve definitely stayed in contact throughout the year and checked in on each other and kind of seen how each other are doing. It’s never been like ‘Oh, did you see the newest rookie ladder?’ or ‘Have you seen my game last night?’ or anything like that. It’s more just been love and support of each other. We’re just going to let whatever happens with that happen.”
The love is definitely from each side as Knueppel additionally shared the identical sentiment in direction of Flagg in a latest interview with Sports Illustrated. “It’s really cool,” Knueppel mentioned. “I want to see [Flagg] do great things and obviously it would mean a ton to get that award. It’s always fun to get awards because you put a lot of time and effort in so that’d be a great honor. But it would also be cool to see Cooper get it, he works just as hard.”
With the ultimate few video games left within the common season, all of it comes all the way down to April because the award shall be determined on the finish of this month. While most of the remaining video games are inconsequential for the Mavericks, Flagg will nonetheless have to stay upbeat and maintain dropping dominating performances. On the opposite hand, Knueppel has change into a vital determine on this Hornets roster as they battle for a spot within the playoffs. They are eighth within the Eastern Conference and have already clinched a spot within the Play-In event. Overall, it’s turning out to be one of essentially the most thrilling battles between two rookie stars, highlighting that the NBA’s future is in nice fingers.
