Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg ends season with ankle sprain
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has seen his impressive debut season end prematurely after suffering a left ankle sprain against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
The number one overall draft pick sustained the injury early in the second quarter of the regular-season finale.
He twisted his joint landing awkwardly between two Chicago defenders while attempting to tip in his own missed shot.
With the teenager grounded in visible discomfort, his teammates deliberately committed a foul to halt play and allow him to leave the court.
Stellar rookie numbers
Medical staff officially ruled the forward out of the contest just minutes after his departure.
Despite the early exit, the former Duke standout finishes his first professional campaign with outstanding individual statistics.
He averaged 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists across 70 appearances this year.
Remarkably, the versatile youngster leads the Dallas roster in total points, rebounds, assists and steals.
Rookie of the Year race
His premature departure finalises his resume for an increasingly tight race for the prestigious Rookie of the Year award.
The primary competition for the accolade comes from his former college roommate Kon Knueppel.
Knueppel has enjoyed a sensational season with the Charlotte Hornets, averaging 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
The highly-rated guard recently shattered the rookie record for three-pointers, hitting a league-leading 273 shots from beyond the arc.