After a back-and-forth season, the Rookie of the Year award has officially been announced. After playing together for the Duke Blue Devils last season, the Dallas Mavericks drafted forward Cooper Flagg first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, while the Charlotte Hornets selected guard Kon Knueppel fourth overall.
The two battled all season long for the honor of best rookie in the league, and in the end, Flagg, the teenage sensation, took home the honors in a tight race against his former teammate, earning 56 first-place votes to Knueppel’s 44. While the vote was close, responses to the results varied widely across the NBA landscape.
Mavericks Phenom Cooper Flagg Wins Rookie Of the Year Award Over Former Duke Teammate
It was a close race, but Flagg edged out Knueppel by 26 votes in a score of 412-386. Flagg received only first- and second-place votes, while Knueppel received one third-place vote, with that voter giving Philadelphia 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe his lone second-place vote.
This was a vote many took issue with, including the Hornets beat writer for SI, Owen O’Connor, who posted, “Someone gave Kon Knueppel a third-place vote? That’s ridiculous.”
In his rookie season, Flagg scored 1,473 points, grabbed 466 rebounds, accumulated 316 assists, and had 84 steals. On a per-game basis, he averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. As for Knueppel, he knocked down an NBA rookie record 273 three-pointers this season. He also scored 1,498 points, grabbed 432 rebounds, and dished out 274 assists. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.
While Flagg had an impressive season, many fans didn’t quite agree with the decision. This fan couldn’t believe it, explaining, “So the person who had one of the most efficient seasons EVER in general and made a non-serious organization a [play-in] team didn’t win over a stat padding man on a bad team?”
The official Sleeper basketball account also couldn’t believe their eyes, making their feelings about the Rookie of the Year race clear, replying to ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania, “KON ROBBED.”
Cooper Flagg ROTY tape – 70 games
21.0/6.7/4.5 on 46.8/29.5/82.7 splits, 54.8% TS. Well deserved. pic.twitter.com/s5vOR1cvxx https://t.co/m4aGZsjBYB
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 27, 2026
Another NBA influencer was awestruck, keeping it simple, posting “Holy Sh*t.” Others argued the award was “well deserved.”
While Flagg was a bright spot on an otherwise dreadful Mavericks season, Charlotte found a player who helped the Hornets win games and nearly make the playoffs after years of struggling (although he struggled in the Play-In Tournament).
Irrespective of this award, Knueppel’s contributions have made him a vital cog in a young and dynamic Charlotte outfit that has many excited about the team’s future.
