In the second-closest vote in the award’s recent history, a 100-member global media panel selected Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg as the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday.
Flagg, who earned the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy along with the honor, outpaced his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets 412-386. Flagg earned 56 first-place votes to Knueppel’s 44.
“I see the games every night,” Flagg said about monitoring Knueppel’s results. “I can check the box scores. I think also I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers. We had such a good connection, and we’re gonna be there for each other for the rest of our lives. I was watching him as a fan as well, but there was obviously that competition at the same time.”
Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe finished third with 96 points — receiving zero first-place votes and only one second-place vote — while San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (5) and Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (1) were the only other players to receive votes.
The No. 1 overall selection in the 2026 NBA Draft lived up to all of the lofty expectations. Flagg led all qualifying rookies with 21.0 points per game and finished second in assists per game (4.5) and third in rebounds per contest (6.7).
“This is a truly great honor,” Flagg said in a statement. “I’m grateful to receive this award and thankful to everyone in the Dallas Mavericks organization who believed in me from Day 1.
“None of this happens without my teammates, coaches and the people around me pushing me every day. I came here to compete and help this team win. This is just one step forward in what we’re building.”
Flagg became the fourth rookie to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and four assists per game since the NBA-ABA merger. Larry Bird (1979-80), Michael Jordan (1984-85) and Luke Doncic (2018-19) reached those plateaus.
At 19 years, 112 days — as of April 12 — Flagg is the second-youngest honoree, just six days older than LeBron James, who was tabbed in 2003-04.
Some experts thought Knueppel might earn the award, as he led the entire league in 3-point field goals made (273), outpacing the former rookie mark by 67 treys. But the fourth overall pick in the draft finished third on the Hornets in scoring (18.5 ppg) behind Brandon Miller (20.2) and LaMelo Ball (20.1)
Four years ago, Toronto’s Scottie Barnes edged Cleveland’s Evan Mobley 378-363, which remains the smallest gap under the current format (2002-03).
–Field Level Media
