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By Michael Gallagher
Sports Content Coordinator
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Cooper Flagg was everything and more the Dallas Mavericks could have hoped for after drafting him No. 1 overall last June.
The 19-year-old forward averaged 21.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game as a rookie, giving the franchise’s fans hope that they may have a star in the making after losing Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers two trade deadlines ago.
And while Flagg was far and away the Mavericks’ best player this year, his season ended on a sour note when he left the team’s regular-season finale against the Chicago Bulls — a 149-128 win — with an ankle sprain in the second quarter.
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Though the prognosis on Flagg’s injury doesn’t appear to be serious, fans were notably concerned that their franchise player didn’t finish the year healthy.
Head coach Jason Kidd was asked after the game, aside from healing and getting back to full strength, what he would tell Flagg as he heads into his first offseason as a pro.
“First thing would be rest,” Kidd told reporters. “Just understanding the expectations and everything that was coming out of the draft, Summer League — just giving a 19-year-old a little time to have some R&R. … I know he’s going to be anxious to get back. He’s a workaholic, but he’s got to give his mind and body some rest here because next year will be a lot longer.”
Flagg is the frontrunner to win Rookie of the Year, but it’s going to be a tight race with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel.
The Charlotte Hornets guard averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists this season, and he also broke the rookie record for made 3-pointers (273), which also led the league.
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