Cooper Flagg’s Rookie of the Year chase could be impacted if the Dallas Mavericks prioritize lottery positioning over wins late in the season.

The Mavericks entered Friday night's game against the Celtics looking for Cooper Flagg to put on a show, but he has to stay healthy

Dallas Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg discussed the importance of playing against Jayson Tatum following the Mavs' 120-100 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday.

"I found out probably the same time as everyone else, when they announced it," said Flagg.

After growing up as a Celtics fan, the Newport native got his first chance to play in their home arena, and acknowledged it was a 'special' experience.

Mavericks urged to reunite Cooper Flagg with 6-foot-6 ex-Duke sharpshooting teammate in offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2026 Rookie of the Year conversation felt almost settled even before it began when the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg as the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

On a night when not much was going right for the Dallas Mavericks, it the frustration seemed to boil over for their young star for the first time of his career. Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg was assessed the first technical foul of his NBA career during Dallas’ loss to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.