Number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg, was named the 2026 Rookie of the Year on Monday, narrowly beating out his Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in one of the tightest races of all time.

The Dallas Mavericks rookie beat the Charlotte Hornets rookie by a total of 26 points amongst 100 media members who voted. Flagg received 56 first-place votes, and Knueppel receiving 44 first-place votes.

Flagg became the second youngest player ever to win the award at 19 years of age, only behind LeBron James.

“I see the games every night. I can check the box scores,” Flagg said when he was asked about his Duke roommate Knueppel. “I think also I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers,” he added.

“We had such a good connection, and we’re gonna be there for each other for the rest of our lives. I was watching him as a fan, as well, but there was obviously that competition at the same time.”

The 26-point gap is the second closest margin ever in this award’s current voting history, with only the 2021-22 race being tighter between Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley, which was a 15-point gap.

Flagg averaged an impressive 21.0/6.7/4.5 in his rookie campaign, numbers only Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic put up during their rookie seasons.

Knueppel, on the other hand, averaged 18.5/5.3/3.5 while leading the NBA in three-pointers made and breaking the rookie three-point record with 273 threes made.

The argument for Knueppel was that he was playing more meaningful minutes with the Hornets, finishing 44-38 and narrowly missing the playoffs.

Flagg set the scoring record for a teenager with 49 points on January 29 against the Knueppel and the Hornets despite losing the game.

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, 19, became the first teenager to score over 50 points in an NBA game.

Flagg scored 51 points in the Mavericks’ 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic on April 3. Flagg continues to build his Rookie of the Year case.

Along with his 51 points, Flagg also had six rebounds and three assists. Brandon Williams scored 23 points off the Mavericks’ bench as well.

Despite getting good performances from Flagg and Williams, it wasn’t enough to beat the Magic. Wendell Carter Jr. (28 points) and Desmond Bane (27 points) led the way for the Magic.

The Magic had more all-around production. The Magic had six double-digit scorers compared to the Mavericks’ four. The Mavericks have two key contributors, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II, out for the season. Additionally, Caleb Martin and Daniel Gafford also didn’t play against the Magic. 

Although this game was a frustrating loss, the Mavericks bounced back against the Los Angeles Lakers on April 5. Flagg nearly scored 50 points again, but his 45 points, eight rebounds and nine assists were enough to lead the Mavericks to victory. P.J. Washington also made strong contributions with 15 points. Gafford was healthy for this game and scored seven points.

The Lakers received major injury updates before this game. They were informed that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will miss the rest of the regular season and likely the start of the playoffs as well. LeBron James will be tasked with leading the team while his two 20-point-per-game scorers are hurt. He played very well against the Mavericks, with 30 points, nine rebounds and 15 assists. However, it wasn’t enough to get the win. Jaxson Hayes also scored 23 points off the bench. 

The Mavericks have four more games this season. They will play the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls.

The Dallas Mavericks successfully captured the flag and got the first overall pick in the 2025 draft. What they’ve gotten is even better than anyone could’ve expected.

Cooper Flagg has successfully bounced back from a poor start and is now the Rookie of the Year favorite. He’s second among all rookies in points with 18.9 per game, first in assists with 4.2 per game and third in rebounds with 6.5 per game. 

What may be the most impressive part of his rookie season is his stats in the clutch. The Mavericks have had to play 27 clutch games this season, a game in which the score is within five with less than five minutes left in the game. Flagg has played in 25 of those 27 games. He’s scored 70 total points on 47.7 percent shooting in those moments. He maintains basically the same shooting percentage when the game is close. This isn’t always the case for rookies.

Flagg’s 70 clutch points put him tied for sixth in the league in clutch points. He’s tied with Devin Booker currently. Booker is an experienced NBA veteran who’s played under the brightest lights before. To be tied with him as a rookie is no small feat. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the league in clutch points with 104. It would be a long shot for Flagg to catch up to him. 

The last time we saw another rookie in this clutch was another Mavericks rookie. Luka Doncic scored 120 points on 44.6 percent shooting in 38 games in the clutch. Doncic made the All-Star team the next season and is currently one of the league’s brightest stars. If Flagg can follow in those footsteps, he’s got a bright future ahead of him.  

Top draft pick Cooper Flagg impressed fans and everyone in his NBA debut Monday night, helping the Dallas Mavericks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 106-89. The first-year rookie showed versatility; he posted ten points, six rebounds, three assists and one block in just 14 minutes. Flagg scored all his points during a two-minute burst in the second quarter. Coach Jason Kidd praised him for his defense, playmaking and composure in his first appearance.

Flagg’s scoring right now showed the all-around skill set that made him the number one pick of the draft. Beyond his offensive efforts, he made an early defensive statement, blocking a lay-up just over a minute into the game. This led to a fast break and a dunk. The energy he brought to the court set a tone for what he has to offer this season. His confidence with the ball and ability to read the floor made him look like a seasoned veteran rather than a rookie. He showed flashes of leadership, communication on defense and keeping the offense moving smoothly. For Dallas, his performance hinted at how quickly he could become a major part of their system.

His debut not only showcased his strength on the court but also his ability to seamlessly integrate into the Mavericks’ team dynamic. Played alongside stars like Anthony Davis. He did not try to dominate the ball; instead, he found a rhythm that complemented the team. His positioning and off-the-ball play allowed the game to flow naturally. Kidd emphasized, “that Flagg’s unselfishness and Basketball IQ” will be key for the team’s chemistry.

Flagg’s awareness and patience stood out throughout the game, especially for an 18-year-old rookie. He trusted his teammates, made smart passes and stayed composed under pressure. Kidd added, “Flagg’s maturity and adaptability could make him an impactful player much sooner than expected.”

Cooper Flagg’s summer league days are over, according to Marc Stein. The Dallas Mavericks are expected to shut down the No. 1 overall pick for the remainder of the Las Vegas Summer League, which means the next time we’ll see him in game action will be during the preseason.

Flagg played two games with the Mavericks’ summer league squad, and he ended it on a high note after a mixed bag debut performance. In Flagg’s second game, he racked up 31 points on 47% from the field in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. Flagg’s 31 points were the most by a No. 1 pick in the Las Vegas Summer League since John Wall in 2010, and was the perfect example of why he’s considered a generational prospect.

He knocked down a couple of 3-pointers, attacked the rim and showed off his mid-range game a bit, and while the Mavericks didn’t win the game, it was a positive way to end Flagg’s summer league time after a debut performance that by his own admission, didn’t live up to his standards. In that game on Thursday, in front of a packed Thomas & Mack Center who were intrigued by the matchup between Flagg and 2024 second-round draft pick Bronny James, the former Duke phenom struggled to score efficiently, going 3 of 21 from the floor for just 10 points, though he also did record six rebounds and four assists in the win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg’s second performance was far more telling of the type of player he is: one who can score off the bounce, can be an off-ball threat and someone who you absolutely don’t want to lose in transition, otherwise you’ll end up on the wrong end of a highlight finish. Defensively, he showed in both games how much of a problem he can be on that end, especially from a shot-blocking perspective, as he can use his length and athleticism to fly out to shooters on the perimeter to alter shots, or come over as a weak side help defender to get a block near the rim.

With everything Flagg showed on the defensive side of the ball, teams should be worried about the dangerous combination he’s going to create with the likes of Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford next season. Flagg’s offensive impact may take some time to develop on a veteran-led roster that’s already built to contend for the playoffs with multiple All-Star candidates present, but he showed in the summer league that he’s capable of filling whatever role is needed of him on both sides of the ball.

There was no doubt who the Dallas Mavericks were going to take with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. Shortly after they were put on the clock, Duke star Cooper Flagg heard his name called onstage. Flagg was the top prospect in this year’s class by a wide margin after his sensational freshman season at Duke, and will join a Mavericks team filled with established stars that will be looking to compete immediately.

As he makes the move from Durham to Dallas, Flagg will also change his jersey number. After wearing No. 2 at Duke, Flagg will go back to the No. 32 he wore in high school as he begins his professional career with the Mavericks.

There’s a family tie to the number choice. No. 32 is the same number Flagg’s mother, Kelly, wore in high school. She wore it because Duke legend Christian Laettner was her favorite player, which created a full-circle moment when Cooper had to pick a different number when he joined the Blue Devils, as Laettner’s 32 hangs in the rafters at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

He switched to No. 2 at Duke because it also held personal significance, as he wore it to pay tribute to Donovan Kurt, a friend and teammate of his older brother who died from cancer shortly before Flagg committed to Duke.

“I wouldn’t be here without these people right here and all my people back home in Maine,” Flagg told ESPN while surrounded by his family shortly after being picked. They’re here for me, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

Cooper will return to the No. 32 jersey that has been in the Flagg family for generations, and it’s safe to assume there will be a lot of No. 32 Flagg jerseys worn by the Mavericks later this year.

The days are counting down until the Dallas Mavericks can officially call Cooper Flagg a Maverick. The NBA Draft is on June 25, and the Mavericks hold the number one pick, and there is no question who they will be selecting.

The Mavericks have gone through a wild sequence of events to get to this moment. They traded the face of their franchise, Luka Dončić, who was beloved by the fans, to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline in February.

The Mavericks have suffered many injuries throughout the season, most notably star guard Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks made the play-in this season but missed the playoffs just one season after reaching the NBA Finals.

Flagg is a generational player who will turn 19 years old in December. He projects to immediately make an impact as soon as he suits up in his first NBA game. Flagg would drastically change the timeline of the championships aspirations of the Mavericks.

Having players like Anthony Davis, Irving and Klay Thompson means that the Mavericks are ready to win now, though a recent report from The Athletic suggest that the Mavericks intend on taking the two-timeline approach.

“It makes the window 20 years instead of three,” Mavericks assistant general manager Matt Riccardi said on the Take Dat Wit You podcast. “We’re trying to win it every single year, and the guys that we have, we felt like before this draft lottery, that we had a good enough team to win the championship. Now we get the chance to add the number one pick to this, so we’re ecstatic for that. But it’s business as usual for us and whoever we get, which the kid from Duke, as you’ve mentioned, you’re bringing in someone that’s won everywhere he’s been, who’s gonna walk in and be ready to go and whatever that role will be.”

As the biggest star in college basketball and arguably all of college athletics, Cooper Flagg was bound to be toward the top of the list of earners from NIL deals.

Longtime sports journalist Howard Bryant revealed on 92nd Street Y in New York City during a sitdown with Bob Costas that Flagg earned $28 million from NIL deals during his lone season at Duke. $12 million from Flagg’s deal with New Balance and $15 million from a deal with Fanatics.

Flagg signed with New Balance before being drafted, making him one of the brand’s signature stars.

Flagg’s estimated NIL evaluation was believed to be around $5 million, a number that would remain the highest in college basketball. According to Bryant, however, Flagg was making more than five times that amount.

The minimum salary in the NBA is a little over $1.1 million. Flagg was making over 25 times that.

Fans have shown concern about the lack of regulation associated with NIL. Costas had a different stance on these deals.

“Something that used to always bother me when this conversation was going on before NIL, people would say, ‘Everybody is profiting off of this except for the athletes,” Costas said.

As a Freshman at Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. He helped lead the Blue Devils to the Final Four.

Flagg is expected to be drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the first overall pick in the NBA draft, where many believe he will become one of the faces of the NBA.

Duke standout freshman Cooper Flagg, who won the Wooden Award and is projected to go No. 1 overall in June, officially declared for the NBA Draft on Monday.

Flagg posted a video on social media.

“Duke fans, my teammates, the brotherhood, everybody that was along for the journey,” he said. “It was an incredible year, probably the best year of my life, and I have so much gratitude and I feel so blessed for all the opportunities that I was given. Duke has always been a dream for me, but I’m excited to announce that I’ll be entering my name into the 2025 NBA draft.

“Today is just the beginning, but I have the Brotherhood with me for life.”

Flagg, who reclassified in 2023, has been the consensus favorite to be selected with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after entering as the No. 1 high school prospect in the 2024 class.

In his one year at Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, helping the team to reach the Final Four with a 35-4 record.

“Really proud of Cooper for the special season that he had this year,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said. “I think the accolades speak for itself, with what he did, winning every National Player of the Year award. His highlights, his statistics, the ways he impacted the game on both ends of the floor, really in every category, was off the charts. As good of a freshman season that a guy has had here.

“But to me, the separator and the joy of coaching Cooper is the person he was every day, the teammate that he was. Never about statistics or anything other than creating an environment and helping his team to win. And we won a lot of games and had a lot of success, and a lot of times that environment is created from your best player. And Cooper did an incredible job in every facet of our program, on and off the court, with what he’s done.”

A unanimous National Player of the Year, he became just the fourth freshman ever to receive the Wooden Award.