Watching Cooper Flagg deliver on the hype that surrounded him during his Duke days has been a phenomenal experience for the fans. However, with losses mounting over the Dallas Mavericks, despite the forward’s individual brilliance. It’s hard to look past the mental grind of such a heavy load for a 19-year-old. And sure enough, this season’s No. 1 pick has been getting that feeling lately. So, how does he manage that?

Just last night, Flagg pulled up from 20-something feet with a dagger of a shot to send Dallas’ matchup against the LA Clippers into overtime. However, despite him finishing the game with 18 points, 8 assists, and 10 rebounds, he wasn’t able to snap his team’s losing streak, as they fell short in overtime, losing 138- 131 against the Clippers. As you’d expect, losses like these are tough on players, especially a rookie trying to make a difference.

Thankfully, Cooper Flagg has veterans like Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson to lean upon. “Just leaned on my teammates,” Flagg told the Athletic. “The guys in the locker room who have long careers and been in this league for a long time. They’ve helped keep me sane throughout this whole process for sure.” That shouldn’t surprise anyone, though, as Irving knows the pressure of being the No. 1 pick all too well.

Similar to Flagg, Kyrie Irving was also only a teenager, straight out of Duke, when he was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. To make things even more interesting, the Wine & Gold went 21-45 during the guard’s rookie season, which is similar to Dallas’ situation at the moment. That said, he’s using that experience to help the rookie, which is truly poetic if you think about it.

“Kyrie has been someone who has been there for me a lot mentally,” Flagg said. “He went through a lot of the same things I’m going through. I’m trying to learn as much as I can from him and understand his perspective.” Even though Kyrie Irving has not been able to play even a single game thus far because of his ACL injury, that hasn’t stopped him from making an impact for the Mavs.

He is helping Cooper Flagg become a true two-way threat; without him, the rookie not only has to score but also create opportunities for his teammates. And it shows, as the forward is averaging 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 46.9 percent from the field. Although numbers like these would have been enough for him to be the Rookie of the Year, that might not be the case this time around.

NBA legends pick Cooper Flagg’s former teammate over him for ROTY honor

There have been several iconic Rookie of the Year battles over the years in the NBA. However, only a few will have gone down to the wire like this season’s between Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets Kon Knueppel. The former Duke Blue Devils teammates have gone blow for blow for the prestigious honor this season thus far.

On one hand, Flagg, the No. 1 pick, has been by far the best player for the injury-riddled Mavericks. On the other hand, Knueppel has established himself as an elite shooter and scorer despite the franchise already having two superstars on its roster in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Knueppel is averaging 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field and an insane 43.4 percent from the 3-point line.

This incredible efficiency has made him a favorite amongst several NBA legends for the Rookie of the Year honor.

“He should be a clear-cut Rookie of the Year,” John Wall said during a recent broadcast on Amazon Prime. Meanwhile, former MVP Steve Nash also joined him as he gave his verdict on the race. “The efficiency, consistency… It’s outrageous,” he said.

“Kon has been spectacular from start to finish,” Blake Griffin added.

It seems like the Charlotte Hornets’ star has completely won over the former NBA stars through his incredible performances on a nightly basis. But if you were to ask us, Flagg should take home the honor for doing what he’s doing, that too, while playing out of his position for the majority of the season. Nonetheless, what do you think?