Jason Kidd Says He Would Take Cooper Flagg's Career Over His Own

Cooper Flagg was officially named the NBA's Rookie of the Year this week, joining his head coach, Jason Kidd, as one of just three players in Dallas Mavericks history to win the award.

That puts him on a meteoric path for his career, one that Coach Kidd believes will end up better than his own Hall-of-Fame career. He talked about it on the "Dan Patrick Show" this week.

"I'm gonna take Cooper Flagg's career," Kidd said when asked who have the better career when it's all said and done, he or Flagg. When Dan Patrick responded that Kidd is a Hall-of-Famer, Kidd responded, "He's gonna be one, too. He's special. When you talk about being drafted at the age of 18, now being 19, but just the way he carries himself, on and off the floor, his parents have done an incredible job of keeping him humble and hungry. I think his career is gonna be way better than mine."

Flagg had a historic season, averaging 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.5 APG, putting him alongside Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic as the only rookies to put up numbers comparable. He also joined Jordan as the only rookie in the last 50 years to lead their teams in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. That's a player destined to be alongside the all-time greats.