While Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has the usual pressure of being the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, the former Duke star is in a situation that sets up his rookie season to be tougher than even LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama’s first NBA campaigns.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/draft as These Two Questions Will Define Cooper Flagg's Rookie Season.

From a statistical perspective, only Risacher, Fultz and Simmons averaged fewer than 16 points, and Risacher, Cunningham, Edwards and Fultz averaged fewer than six rebounds, the marks that Flagg is expected to hit.

After leading all first-year players by averaging 14.7 PPG, Stephon Castle of the San Antonio Spurs won the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year award. Castle became the second consecutive Spurs first-round pick to win ROTY, and now Dylan Harper aims to become the third.

After going No. 1 overall to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA draft, Cooper Flagg gave props to the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder this week.

The Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the number one pick in this year's NBA draft. Flagg predicted his toughest challenge heading into his first season before his name was called by Adam Silver on June 25. He was introduced by the Mavs two days later and will wear the No. 32 jersey.

The newest star addition to the Dallas Mavericks organization has high expectations for his debut NBA season based on Rookie of the Year odds.

Former Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban has great faith in Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg's future, so much so that he offered a comparison to late Los Angeles Lakers legend and Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant regarding his potential development path while taking in Dallas' 87-85 summer league win over L.