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Cooper Flagg Wins 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year in One of Closest Votes Ever
Apr
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Cooper Flagg Wins 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year in One of Closest Votes Ever
Cooper Flagg has been named the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year after one of the closest voting races in recent history. The Dallas Mavericks forward narrowly defeated former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, earning 412 points to Knueppel’s 386.
Flagg secured 56 first-place votes, compared to 44 for Knueppel, and took home the prestigious Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. The margin made it the second-closest Rookie of the Year vote under the current format, adding even more significance to the honor.
Cooper Flagg Delivers Historic Rookie Season
The No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft lived up to massive expectations during his debut season. Flagg led all qualifying rookies with 21.0 points per game while averaging 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists, becoming one of the most complete first-year players in recent memory.
His performance placed him alongside legends such as Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic as only the fourth rookie since the NBA-ABA merger to average at least 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game.
At just 19 years and 112 days old, Flagg also became the second-youngest player ever to win the award, trailing only LeBron James.
Kon Knueppel Pushes Race to the Wire
Knueppel made the Rookie of the Year race a true battle until the end. The Hornets rookie led the entire NBA in made three-pointers with 273, breaking the previous rookie record by 67 shots. He also averaged 18.5 points per game and emerged as one of the league’s top young scorers.
Many analysts believed Knueppel had a legitimate case to win, making Flagg’s narrow victory even more notable.
Full 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year Voting Results
- Cooper Flagg — 412 points (56 first-place votes)
- Kon Knueppel — 386 points (44 first-place votes)
- VJ Edgecombe — 96 points
- Dylan Harper — 5 points
- Cedric Coward — 1 point
Cooper Flagg Adds Another Milestone to Rising NBA Stardom
Flagg called the award “a truly great honor” and credited the Mavericks organization, coaches, and teammates for helping him succeed. For Dallas, the Rookie of the Year honor signals the franchise may have found its next cornerstone.
The close race also drew comparisons to the 2021-22 battle when Scottie Barnes narrowly beat Evan Mobley in the tightest vote of the modern era.
With a historic rookie campaign complete, Cooper Flagg’s NBA future looks even brighter.
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