Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg named West rookie of the month for second time in a row

The Dallas Mavericks’ rookie sensation Cooper Flagg has continued his remarkable start to the NBA season, earning the Kia Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for December. This is the second consecutive month Flagg has received the honor, making him just the third Maverick in franchise history to achieve back-to-back Rookie of the Month accolades.

Selected first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft from Duke, Flagg, the 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward/guard, has so far lived up to the hype. In 13 games in December, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.2 blocks in 35.6 minutes per game, shooting 51.6% from the field and 80.8% from the free-throw line. His monthly totals — 306 points, 80 rebounds, 63 assists, 13 steals, and 15 blocks — placed him in elite company, joining Blake Griffin, LeBron James, Ron Harper, and Larry Bird as the only rookies in NBA history to record at least 300 points, 75 rebounds, 50 assists, 10 steals, and 10 blocks in a single month.

Flagg reached a new personal high, scoring 42 points against the Utah Jazz on December 15, complemented by seven rebounds, six assists, one steal, and two blocks. At 18 years, 359 days old, Flagg became the youngest player in league history to score 40 points in a game and tied Mark Aguirre’s Mavericks rookie record for points in a single contest. Two days later, he scored 23 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, handed out four assists, and blocked three shots versus the Detroit Pistons, becoming the first rookie to achieve at least 65 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and five blocks in a pair of games since David Robinson in 1989–90.

On Christmas Day, Flagg scored 27 points with six rebounds and five assists against the Golden State Warriors, becoming the first rookie since Pete Maravich in 1970 to record at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists on Christmas. He also joined LeBron James and Luka Doncic as the only teenagers in NBA history to post 20-plus points, five-plus rebounds, and five-plus assists in three consecutive games.

Through his first 34 games, Flagg is averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks, ranking first among rookies in points (652), second in rebounds (218), assists (139), and steals (41), and third in blocks (27). He is the only rookie this season to rank in the top three in all five major statistical categories. He has also emerged as a reliable clutch performer, scoring 70 points on 47.7% shooting in late-game situations, and is considered the early favorite to win Rookie of the Year, leading his closest competitor, former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, by significant odds.

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