Mavericks' Cooper Flagg admits rookie season has been 'mentally taxing' amid the team's struggles

Cooper Flagg's first play successful nan NBA has not gone arsenic planned and nan rookie admitted it’s been tough.

Flagg, 19, has had sizeable individual occurrence this play and is successful contention for nan NBA’s Rookie of nan Year award. However, nan Dallas Mavericks person not had overmuch success, arsenic they are 24-52 and obscurity adjacent playoff contention.

"Obviously, it’s been tough. Like you said, you know, done precocious school, college, I mean, I only mislaid 4 games past year. So location person been times of nan play wherever it’s been, you know, really mentally taxing connected me," Flagg said during a caller quality connected ESPN’s "The Pat McAfee Show."

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Dallas Mavericks guardant Cooper Flagg (32) controls nan shot successful nan 2nd half of an NBA hoops crippled against nan Minnesota Timberwolves successful Dallas, Texas, connected Monday, March 30, 2026. (Gareth Patterson/AP Photo)

Anthony Davis played conscionable 20 games pinch nan Mavericks earlier sustaining a manus wounded and was yet traded to nan Washington Wizards. Star constituent defender Kyrie Irving tore his ACL past play and has not played this season.

Flagg hopes that he tin look backmost astatine nan reliable times and opportunity he learned from them.

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Dallas Mavericks guardant Cooper Flagg (32) drives against Milwaukee Bucks defender AJ Green (20) during nan 2nd half of an NBA hoops crippled successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin, connected Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP Photo)

"Just not having occurrence that I would’ve hoped for, and obviously, we’ve had a batch of injuries and a batch of unfortunate things hap passim nan year. It’s evidently not been ideal. I’ve had maturation on nan way, and I’ve had to get amended and study connected nan fly, but decidedly not nan commencement I would’ve looked for. Hopefully, yet I’ll beryllium capable to look backmost connected it and cognize that I was capable to study a batch from it," Flagg said.

Flagg said he was thrown retired location and into nan occurrence much than he was expected, but he said it’s helped him create and go much assured and comfortable.

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Dallas Mavericks guardant Cooper Flagg (32) drives against Milwaukee Bucks defender AJ Green (20) during nan 2nd half of an NBA hoops crippled successful Milwaukee, Wisconsin, connected Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP Photo)

In 64 games, nan Newport, Maine, autochthonal has averaged 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and astir 1 artifact per game.

Flagg’s rookie play will proceed erstwhile nan Mavericks play nan Orlando Magic (40-36) connected Friday astatine 8:30 p.m. ET.

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