NBA Official: Mavericks' top draft pick Cooper Flagg named Rookie of the Year

The NBA officially announced on Monday that Dallas Mavericks' number one draft pick, Cooper Flagg, has been named the 2025/26 Rookie of the Year. At 19 years old, he becomes the second youngest player in league history to win the award, second only to LeBron James.

According to the voting results released by the league, the competition for this year's Rookie of the Year was exceptionally fierce. Despite this, Flagner ultimately won by a narrow margin with 56 first-place votes and 44 second-place votes (412 points). New Orleans Hornets sharpshooter Comen Knupper came in second, receiving 44 first-place votes, 55 second-place votes, and 1 third-place vote (386 points). VJ Edgecombe, a rising star on the perimeter for the Philadelphia 76ers, finished third with 1 second-place vote and 93 third-place votes (96 points).

Flagg played 70 of 83 regular season games this season, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 33.5 minutes per game, with a field goal percentage of 46.8%, a three-point percentage of 29.5%, and a free throw percentage of 82.7%. According to league statistics, he and Michael Jordan are only two rookies since 1973 to lead their teams in all four statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

After being confirmed as the winner, Flagg's joy was palpable. In an interview with NBC Sports, he said, "It's unreal, it feels so cool. There's no doubt that this is the recognition that every player strives for and craves in their rookie season."

“This means a lot to me, and it’s really cool.”

At the end of the interview, Flagler also offered some advice to players about to enter the NBA: "Take this award and similar honors as motivation. There is usually competition. But you just need to give it your all on the court every night and influence the game in every way possible."

"I think this is something I've always been proud of—influencing the game in different ways and helping the team win. If you do these things well, the rest will fall into place."

Image source: Internet