Dallas Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Wins 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year Award

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg won the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year award on Monday, multiple sources reported. He narrowly defeated Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel, receiving 56 first-place votes to Knueppel's 44. J. Edgecombe, another finalist, received no first-place votes.

2 steals per game. He led all rookies in scoring and became the first rookie since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. The Mavericks finished the season with a 26-56 record.

The voting margin was 26 points in Flagg's favor.

At 19 years old, Flagg became the youngest player in league history to record games with 35, 40, 45, and 50 points. He also set the record as the youngest to have at least 10 assists in a game. 5 assists per game. He set the rookie record for 3-pointers made with 273 and helped the Hornets reach the NBA Play-In Tournament, where they lost to their opponent.

“I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers," Flagg told NBC after he was named Rookie of the Year. "We have that connection and we’re always going to be there for each other. Flagg's award marks a standout rookie season despite his team's overall record. The competition between the former teammates was anticipated to be close based on their performances. Flagg's achievements included leading the Mavericks in multiple statistical categories. Knueppel's 3-point shooting record highlighted his contribution to the Hornets' playoff push. No contradictions appeared across sources on the voting results or key statistics.”