Cooper Flagg is the best rookie in the league right now. He entered the 2025 NBA Draft as the top pick and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks. While not all top picks of each draft class have lived up to their expectations, Flagg has been on track so far.
However, like many other rookies before him, Flagg has hit a wall and is struggling to maintain consistency in his game. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd weighed in on his rookie’s struggles and gave some much-needed advice to the young star.
Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd Believes Cooper Flagg Should Trust the Process
The dream of every young basketball player is to one day make it in the NBA. While Flagg has accomplished his goal of making it into the league, he is now facing a massive obstacle in his way, known as the “rookie wall.”
The “rookie wall” is a common occurrence in first-year players, considering that they are still adjusting to the demanding schedule of the NBA. This means that some rookies are likely to encounter inconsistencies in their game and may notice a decline in their performance.
Looking at Flagg’s last three games, he’s slowed down in terms of production. The Mavericks rookie is averaging 12.3 points, 7.0 assists, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in the last three games.
While his numbers aren’t awful, his production on offense hasn’t been up to par with his previous performances. Overall, Flagg is putting up 18.9 points per game. He notched a career-high 42 points in Dec. 15 when the Mavericks took on the Utah Jazz.
However, after scoring just 10 points against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, Flagg is starting to feel the effects of the “rookie wall.”
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd gave his rookie some advice regarding how to work around the slump he’s currently in. Kidd said that instead of resisting the phenomenon, Flagg should learn to embrace it and learn from his mistakes instead.
“He’s gotta touch it,” Kidd said about Flagg’s issue. He’s gotta rub it and hold it. He’s gotta embrace it. That’s just a mental thing. For the great ones, they touch it.”
Jason Kidd wants Cooper Flagg to touch, rub, and hold onto that rookie wall
“He’s gotta touch it. He’s gotta rub it and hold it. He’s gotta embrace it. That’s just a mental thing. For the great ones, they touch it.”
(Via @Mavs_FFL ) pic.twitter.com/KfkWGkQfzt
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 4, 2026
Despite the wall Flagg has hit, he remains in the lead for the Kia Rookie of the Year race. However, with Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel’s numbers relatively close to Flagg’s, the Mavericks rookie will need to figure out how to break away from his cold spell soon if he wishes to maintain his lead in the rookie ladder.
