Cooper Flagg wins NBA Rookie of the Yr in shut vote over Kon Knueppel

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Dallas Mavericks first total decide Cooper Flagg was named the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Yr, and it was a thrillingly shut vote ultimately.

Flagg narrowly beat out Charlotte Hornets’ sharpshooter Kon Knueppel, his fellow Duke Blue Devils star who went three picks later than Flagg in final yr’s draft, incomes 56 first-place votes in comparison with Knueppel’s 44. So, Flagg completed with 412 whole vote factors to Knueppel’s 386.

Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe completed in third place with 96 factors (93 third-place votes), whereas San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper and Memphis Grizzlies Cedric Coward additionally bought third-place votes.

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Dallas Mavericks ahead Cooper Flagg controls the ball within the second half towards the Minnesota Timberwolves in Dallas, Texas, on March 30, 2026. (Gareth Patterson/AP Picture)

Flagg marked the second-youngest participant to ever win the award, because the 19-year-old was solely behind Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James .

For a lot of the season, it appeared Knueppel was going to win the award, however a number of voters got here out publicly and stated Knueppel’s Play-In Match struggles factored into them altering their minds for Flagg.

MAVERICKS' COOPER FLAGG ADMITS ROOKIE SEASON HAS BEEN 'MENTALLY TAXING' AMID THE TEAM'S STRUGGLES

Knueppel had simply six factors on 2-of-12 taking pictures in 34 minutes in the course of the Hornets’ electrical 127-126 extra time win over the Miami Warmth in the beginning of the match. Then, within the 121-90 loss to the Orlando Magic, he shot 3 of 11 for 11 factors (4 of 5 from the free-throw line as nicely), and he posted a minus-26 whereas on the court docket.

Flagg famous being eager on what Knueppel was doing in the course of the yr, exhibiting like to his fellow rookie.

Dallas Mavericks ahead Cooper Flagg watches from the bench in the course of the second quarter towards the Orlando Magic on the American Airways Middle in Dallas, Texas, on April 3, 2026. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Photos)

"I see the video games each night time. I can verify the field scores," he stated about watching Knueppel’s stat strains carefully, per ESPN. "I feel additionally I used to be watching Kon simply because that’s one among my brothers.

"We had such a great connection, and we’re gonna be there for one another for the remainder of our lives. I used to be watching him as a fan, as nicely, however there was clearly that competitors on the identical time."

Flagg averaged 21 factors, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per sport this yr for the Mavericks. These numbers had him amongst some NBA greats, as Larry Fowl, Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic had been the one rookies Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic had been the one rookies earlier than Flagg to common at the least 20 factors, six rebounds and 4 assists for the reason that NBA-ABA merger, ESPN identified. Flagg additionally led all rookies in scoring this season.

As for Knueppel, he dropped 18.5 factors per sport with 5.3 rebounds and three.5 assists, however whereas Flagg had him beat in these classes, he reset the rookie 3-pointers made document with 273. That quantity additionally led the NBA this season. Knueppel was additionally a key piece within the Hornets moving into the Play-In Match to start with, ending 44-38 earlier than being eradicated by the Magic.

<source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/04/931/523/cooper-flagg-mavericks-dallas-fox-news-040626-001.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/04/1862/1046/cooper-flagg-mavericks-dallas-fox-news-040626-001.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"> Dallas Mavericks ahead Cooper Flagg dribbles in the course of the second half of an NBA sport towards the Los Angeles Lakers in Dallas on April 5, 2026. (LM Otero/AP)

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Flagg and the Mavs didn’t fare too nicely this season, ending 26-56, although he led the workforce in scoring, rebounding and assists this season. Regardless of the losses, Flagg continued to point out that age didn’t matter, changing into the youngest participant to ever have video games with 35, 40, 45 and 50 factors.