Cooper Flagg’s Rookie of the Year win is not just about his performance, it is also reopening the conversation around Nico Harrison’s vision.
The Dallas Mavericks made one of the boldest moves in recent years to land the No. 1 pick, and while it came with heavy criticism at the time, the payoff is now impossible to ignore.
And with Flagg delivering a historic rookie season, even former players are starting to look at that decision differently.
As seen on a recent episode of NBA Showtime, Carmelo Anthony made it clear where he stands.
“Shoutout to Nico Harrison for seeing this right here for understanding his vision. Whatever happened, how it happened, Dallas got something back.
“They got the number one pick, they got a rookie who led the squad in points, rebounds, assists, and steals,” Anthony said.
Harrison’s decision-making, including the move that positioned Dallas to land Flagg, was widely criticized at the time. But the result has now produced a Rookie of the Year and a potential franchise cornerstone.
Flagg backed that up on the court, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while leading the Mavericks across multiple statistical categories in his debut season.
Anthony’s praise did not stop at Harrison. He also pointed directly at what makes Flagg special.
“Like you said, MJ is the only other person to do that, so when you start talking about Cooper’s ceiling and a young face of this league, in this NBA, it’s Cooper Flagg,” Melo added.
That comparison is rooted in history. Flagg became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals over a full season.
It’s not just about the numbers, it’s about the all-around impact. Flagg has been the focal point of the Mavericks offense while also contributing defensively and in playmaking situations.
There were debates earlier in the season about the Rookie of the Year race, but Flagg’s consistency and responsibility ultimately separated him.
Now, the focus is shifting from whether he deserved the award to what comes next. If this is the starting point, the ceiling becomes the real conversation.
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