As the NBA regular season drew to a close, all eyes were on the shiny glass exterior of the Rookie of the Year (ROTY) award, which sat in its case, patiently awaiting its new owner. The 2026 race came down to three final candidates: pre-season favorite and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, three-point specialist Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets and two-way playmaker VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Throughout the regular season, fans strongly favored Knueppel to win the award due to his consistently strong gameplay, from his precise shooting to his elite feel for the game, outshining other rookies. Yet, on April 27, the NBA crowned Flagg the 2025-26 winner, edging Knueppel by just 12 votes.
The NBA presents the ROTY award annually to the best first-year player for their performance during the regular season. Players’ individual statistics, as well as their efficiency and role on their team, are often the major deciding factors. The NBA first presented the award during the 1952-53 season as the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, and it has since become one of the league’s most coveted honors, with previous winners including NBA legends such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Each year, 100 of the United States and Canada’s top sportswriters and broadcasters cast votes at the end of the season for the rookies they believe dominated on the court. A total-points system decides the final winner: a first-place vote earns five points, a second-place vote earns three and a third-place vote earns one.
This year’s ROTY race generated intense media coverage and marketing, featuring a season-long battle between Flagg and Knueppel, former college roommates who played together at Duke University. While their competitive natures added to the suspense, the players’ relationship remains rooted in mutual respect and admiration.
In a post-game interview after his first face-off against Knueppel in the NBA, Flagg reiterated that his relationship with Knueppel supersedes basketball.
“Just really happy for him,” Flagg told the New York Times. “That’s someone who is going to be a friend of mine for life.”
By the end of the regular season, Knueppel had compiled an impressive resume. He led the league with 273 3-pointers, setting an all-time rookie record and cruising past Keegan Murray’s 206 in the 2022-23 season. Knueppel did so efficiently, shooting 42.5% from behind the arc while playing in 81 of the team’s 82 games. The Hornets selected Knueppel as a fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and the team won 44 games in the 2025-26 season — more than double its 19 wins from the year prior. Knueppel was a crucial part of the Hornets’ comeback, leading a team that sat at the bottom of the league all the way to the NBA Play-In tournament, where it ultimately fell to the Orlando Magic.
The Mavericks, on the other hand, saw their win total decline after Flagg joined. During the 2024-25 season, the Mavericks won 39 games, a number that dropped to just 26 in the 2025-26 season, placing them near the bottom of the league despite the arrival of their famed draft pick. Even during his college years, Flagg had always been the center of attention, which added to his spotlight but also inflated his rankings. Knueppel, meanwhile, was rightfully more focused on training rather than securing brand deals or publicity, which allowed him to quietly overtake Flagg in skill.
Although they were both rookies, Flagg and Knueppel fit differently into their respective squads. Flagg, a highly-touted prospect who joined an injury-riddled Mavericks team, had ample opportunities to play from the start as his other teammates were out. Flagg immediately stepped into a leadership position that he was not ready for so early in his career.
Knueppel, however, had to earn his time but was still a major contributor to the Hornets’ success. Even as a rookie, his high-level accountability and knowledge of the game proved him a leader on the floor alongside All-Star LaMelo Ball. Knueppel easily stepped up for his team when Flagg struggled. Flagg held a low 29.5% 3-point percentage and lacked shooting abilities, whereas Knueppel’s performance garnered support from fans and professionals alike. His skills easily impressed anyone who watched, including Charlotte Hornets broadcaster Eric Collins.
“He’s unbelievable,” Collins told SiriusXM. “He’s made everything better. He’s like basketball ketchup.”
Knueppel’s fast processing speed and ability to read the game characterize his gameplay. Averaging 31.5 minutes throughout the season, he was able to take a load of pressure off Ball and connect the team on offense and defense, improving spacing on the floor.
Although Knueppel trailed behind Flagg’s 21-point, 6.7 rebound and 4.5 assist averages, he balanced this out with consistent high-value outputs. Knueppel played in 11 more games than Flagg and was a usual starter. Even when playing against top-seeded teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Detroit Pistons, Knueppel’s talent and effort earned him a spot among his team’s star players in the starting lineup — and, in many ways, he became a star himself. With only one year of playing professionally under his belt, Knueppel’s best years are yet to come. Historically, ROTY often showcases the future of league talent — though Flagg already seems to be reaching his peak, Knueppel has just gotten started.
Flagg’s output, meanwhile, wasn’t as consistent and mainly came towards the end of the regular season. Despite breaking many records and setting new precedents, including his 51-point game against the Orlando Magic in early April, Flagg was unable to bring the Mavericks to victory. Although his offensive ability drew praise from around the country, losses like these made it clear that basketball is not just a game of scoring, but one that encompasses both strategy and teamwork. Knueppel’s playing style highlights all of these aspects, on both sides of the floor.
These two incredible rookies perfectly encapsulated such a tight race. In any other year, Knueppel would’ve won by a landslide if it weren’t for Flagg’s late breakthrough. However, even with this late-season surge, Knueppel still had a strong case to win the award. Yet, as a cornerstone of his team, his elite efficiency and high-level shooting were ultimately overshadowed by Flagg’s established popularity.
