Start to life in the NBA was a little difficult for Cooper Flagg but it didn’t take him time to show why he was one of the most desired No. 1 Draft pick in years. After the season he just had, many, including Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade feel that he should stand alone in Rookie of the Year conversations.
Advertisement
When the season started and Flagg was being made to play out of position, he was struggling. But he’s since began to thrive in whatever role head coach Jason Kidd deems important. The 19-year-old is putting up 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
Flagg has also been carrying a broken-down Dallas Mavericks squad on his back. Kyrie Irving remains sidelined with an ACL tear, Anthony Davis is now in Atlanta and was rarely available anyway due to lingering injuries, and Klay Thompson no longer has the juice to lead an offense.
Wade spoke about Flagg during a recent broadcast of NBA TV. While speaking about ROTY picks, he said, “Mine would be Cooper Flagg, and it’s not because I don’t like these other rookies. I have this saying that when you come into the school year, you start with an A. And from there, it’s on you to take your score down.”
“Being the number 1 pick with expectations so high, he started with an A, and I haven’t seen anybody go get him. I watch a guy leading in scoring, leading in assists, a guy that is showing his versatility all over the floor,” he stated.
Dwyane Wade is picking Cooper Flagg to win ROY:
“Being the number 1 pick with expectations so high, I haven’t seen nobody go get him. I watch a guy leading in scoring, assist, showing his versatility all over the floor. He may not be the lockdown defender VJ is but his… pic.twitter.com/J7kSVEIUE9
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 28, 2026
That’s high praise coming from one of the best shooting guards to ever play the game. Wade’s words were not just another legend sounding off. They were a genuine analysis of a future superstar.
There are other rookies, like VJ Edgecombe in Philadelphia, who may draw more attention because their team is likely headed for the postseason. But that kind of context does not sway Wade’s thinking. “He may not be the lockdown defender VJ is but his switch ability is incredible. Everything we wanted to see from Cooper we all have seen, and I haven’t seen anyone go and take it from him,” added Wade.
At this point, wins and losses almost feel secondary to the bigger picture. Flagg is not just putting up numbers. He is learning how to be the guy in real time, with the spotlight cranked all the way up. Plenty of top picks get eased in. Flagg was tossed into the deep end of the Dallas drama and asked to swim.
The scary part for the rest of the league is that he is still figuring it out. If this is what Year 1 looks like under chaos, imagine what Year 3 looks like with stability. That is when the conversation shifts from promising rookie to a problem for everybody. And with Wade in his corner, the sky is the limit.
