The NBA named Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg as the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year on Monday. Flagg edged former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets by 12 first-place votes among 100 voters. Flagg received 56 first-place votes to Knueppel's 44 in one of the closest races in recent history.
Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, secured the award after a tight battle with No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel. The Mavericks star finished with season averages of 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He becomes the third player in franchise history to win the honor, joining Jason Kidd and Luka Dončić, whom the team traded away earlier this season after acquiring Anthony Davis only to move him later as well. Flagg missed 11 games from mid-January to early March but surged late, averaging over 25 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists in his final 15 full games, including a 96-point two-game stretch. The Charlotte Hornets provided stiff competition through Knueppel, who led the league in three-pointers during a historic shooting season. After starting 4-14, the Hornets went 40-24 over their final 64 games, boasting the NBA's No. 3 offense and No. 5 net rating. Knueppel formed a potent perimeter trio with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on a team that contended in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Philadelphia 76ers forward VJ Edgecombe placed a distant third in voting. The close margin marked the second-smallest in a Rookie of the Year race over the past 23 years. Ballots were distributed after the Play-In Tournament due to exceptions granted under the league's 65-game minimum rule, allowing voters to factor in Knueppel's late struggles despite the award focusing on regular-season play.