Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg didn’t just survive his first NBA season - he put together one of the most complete debuts the league has seen in a long time. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists and finished with Rookie of the Year honors.
The one area that got picked apart all season was his three-point shot. Even that, though, starts to look a lot less alarming once you stack it up against some of the biggest names in NBA history.
Flagg shot 29.5 percent from deep as a rookie, and that number compares favorably to several Hall of Famers in their first seasons. LeBron James finished at 29.0 percent, Kevin Durant at 28.8 percent and Jason Kidd at 27.2 percent. Dirk Nowitzki’s rookie mark was 20.6 percent, while Michael Jordan came in at 17.3 percent.
The comparison made the rounds this offseason after MavsMuse posted the numbers on August 8, 2026, writing: “The only “hole” in Coop’s game as a rookie was hit 3-point shooting. Watch out 👀”
Flagg took 244 threes as a rookie and hit 29.5 percent of them. For a player whose overall production still carried him to a close Rookie of the Year win, that’s not exactly a red flag. It’s more a reminder that rookie shooting numbers can be messy, even for eventual stars.
Nowitzki made that point plainly before the season even wrapped up. “Nobody here in Dallas is worried about his 3-ball,” Nowitzki said.
“I think that is something that can come. Quick fun fact: My rookie season, I shot 20.6 percent from three, and it ended up being OK.”
The rest of Flagg’s line tells the bigger story. He played 70 games, shot 46.8 percent from the field and 82.7 percent from the free-throw line, and his three-point efficiency improved in stretches later in the year, especially after he turned 19 in December.
Jordan’s 17.3 percent and Kidd’s 27.2 percent only reinforce how often young stars need time to settle in from outside. Flagg won’t turn 20 until December, and his numbers already pointed upward as the season went on.
There are still bigger Dallas questions floating around this offseason, including the Lakers’ pursuit of Mavericks guard Klay Thompson and the ongoing conversation around Kyrie Irving. Analysts looking at the roster still see uncertainty about whether this group can get to the playoffs, even with Flagg developing.
But if the rookie season is any guide, the shot that drew the most attention may wind up being the least of Dallas’ worries.
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