Cooper Flagg was chosen as the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year, consolidating a brilliant season with the Dallas Mavericks despite the franchise failing to qualify for the playoffs.
The NBA announced this Monday that the 19-year-old American forward won the award after an outstanding rookie campaign, in which he averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
A historic season for Cooper Flagg
Selected with the first overall pick in the 2025 Draft, Flagg immediately met expectations and left higher numbers than the rest of the league’s rookies.
Additionally, he became the first rookie since Michael Jordan to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals during a season. Jordan achieved it in 1985 with the Chicago Bulls.
Another of the young player’s milestones came when he scored 51 points against the Orlando Magic, becoming the youngest player to record a game of more than 50 points in NBA history.
Flagg surpasses marks of LeBron and Iverson
The new Rookie of the Year also had four 40-point games, the most for a rookie since Allen Iverson in the 1996-97 season.
Likewise, he surpassed LeBron James’ record for most 40-point games scored by a junior in the league.
Third Rookie of the Year in Dallas history
Flagg became only the third Dallas Mavericks player to win this award, joining Jason Kidd (1995) and Luka Doncic (2019).
Flagg’s arrival was possible after Doncic’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, a move that ended up giving Dallas the first pick in the draft.
This is how the vote turned out
In the global media vote, Flagg added 56 first place votes and 412 total points, beating:
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets): 44 first place votes and 386 points.
VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers): finalist.
