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Jason Kidd knows what it looks like when a rookie changes the direction of the Dallas Mavericks.

That made his message to Cooper Flagg stand out after the 19-year-old Mavericks forward won NBA Rookie of the Year in one of the closest races the award has seen under the current voting format.

“Thrilled to see @Cooper_Flagg recognized with the @NBA Rookie of the Year award,” Kidd wrote on X. “Your feel for and commitment to the game are truly special. Congratulations and enjoy this moment. This is just the beginning.”

Kidd’s reaction carried extra weight because he is not just Flagg’s head coach. He was also one of the first Mavericks players to win the award, sharing Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill in 1995. Flagg now joins Kidd and Luka Dončić as Mavericks players to win the award, giving Dallas another franchise-level rookie after a season built around his rapid rise.

The award itself was announced Monday, but Kidd’s message underscored the bigger point for Dallas: Flagg did not just win a trophy. He gave the Mavericks evidence that their next era already has a centerpiece.

Jason Kidd’s Message Captured Why Cooper Flagg Won

Flagg’s Rookie of the Year case was not built on one flashy number. It was built on how much Dallas asked him to do at an age when most players are still adjusting to the physical speed of the NBA.

Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals, according to NBA.com. He became the first rookie since Michael Jordan in 1984-85 to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. He was also the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points in a game.

That is why Kidd’s line about Flagg’s “feel” matters. Flagg did not win only because he scored. He won because the Mavericks put the ball in his hands, leaned on him as a playmaker and asked him to defend while carrying a workload that usually belongs to a much older player.

Reuters noted that Flagg became just the fourth rookie since the NBA-ABA merger to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists, joining Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Dončić. He was also 19 years and 112 days old as of April 12, making him the second-youngest Rookie of the Year winner behind LeBron James.

That age context is the hook that makes Kidd’s reaction more than a courtesy post. Flagg was not supposed to look this complete this quickly.

Kon Knueppel Made Cooper Flagg Earn It

The race was close because Kon Knueppel had a real argument.

Flagg beat the Charlotte Hornets rookie by 412 voting points to 386, with Flagg receiving 56 first-place votes and Knueppel receiving 44. VJ Edgecombe finished third with 96 points and no first-place votes.

Knueppel’s case was built around elite shooting and winning impact. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 42.5% from 3-point range, according to NBA.com. He also helped Charlotte win 44 games and reach the play-in tournament after the Hornets made a 25-game improvement from the previous season.

That is not a token runner-up résumé. Knueppel led the NBA with 273 made 3-pointers, setting a rookie record, according to Reuters.

The difference was responsibility.

Knueppel was historically dangerous as a shooter and helped lift Charlotte. Flagg had to be Dallas’ first option, lead the Mavericks across multiple categories and still produce like a veteran. That is likely where the vote tilted. Knueppel had the cleaner team-success argument; Flagg had the heavier all-around burden.

VJ Edgecombe’s Finish Shows How Loaded the Rookie Race Was

VJ Edgecombe finishing third should not get lost in the Flagg-Knueppel debate.

The Philadelphia 76ers guard averaged 16.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals while starting all 75 games he played. He appeared on 94 of 100 ballots, even though he did not receive a first-place vote.

In a weaker rookie class, Edgecombe’s production would have been a louder storyline. In this one, it became part of the evidence that Flagg had to beat more than hype.

That is what made Kidd’s message land. Flagg’s win was expected by the time the award was announced, but it was not automatic. Knueppel pushed him. Edgecombe gave the race a third high-level rookie. Flagg still finished on top while carrying the kind of role Dallas hopes he can grow into for years.

“This is just the beginning” can sound like a throwaway line after an award.

For Flagg and the Mavericks, it is closer to the point.