Cooper Flagg leads NBA All-Rookie First Team alongside former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe

It’s nary concealed that Cooper Flagg, nan Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 wide prime who won nan NBA Rookie of nan Year Award, was a portion of nan league’s All-Rookie first-team that came retired connected Wednesday night.

But different bright, young stars of nan NBA were named alongside him.

Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel, Flagg’s Duke Blue Devils teammate successful assemblage and runner-up to nan Rookie of nan Year Award, arsenic good arsenic Philadelphia 76ers’ VJ Edgecombe were besides named unanimous All-Rookie First Team members alongside Flagg pursuing elector tallies.

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Dallas Mavericks guardant Cooper Flagg dribbles during nan 2nd half of an NBA crippled against nan Los Angeles Lakers successful Dallas connected April 5, 2026. (LM Otero/AP)

Rounding retired nan first squad were San Antonio Spurs defender Dylan Harper and Memphis Grizzlies defender Cedric Coward. All 5 players received votes for this year’s Rookie of nan Year Award.

There were 100 ballots tallied for nan teams, and Harper was 7 votes awkward of different unanimous selection. He had 7 second-team votes, while Coward had 29 first-team votes and 67 second-team votes for a full of 125 points.

COOPER FLAGG WINS NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AFTER KON KNUEPPEL'S PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT STRUGGLES SWAYED VOTERS

Flagg narrowly hit retired Knueppel, who went 3 picks to nan Hornets aft his Duke teammate, earning 56 first-place votes compared to Knueppel’s 44 successful that tally. Philadelphia 76ers defender VJ Edgecombe vanished successful 3rd spot pinch 96 points (93 third-place votes), while San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper and Memphis Grizzlies' Cedric Coward besides sewage third-place votes.

Flagg is nan second-youngest subordinate to ever triumph nan award, arsenic nan 19-year-old was only down Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James.

For astir of nan season, it appeared Knueppel was going to triumph nan award, but aggregate voters came retired publically and said Knueppel’s Play-In Tournament struggles factored into them changing their minds for Flagg.

Knueppel had conscionable six points connected 2-of-12 shooting successful 34 minutes during nan Hornets’ electrical 127-126 overtime triumph complete nan Miami Heat astatine nan commencement of nan tournament. Then, successful nan 121-90 nonaccomplishment to nan Orlando Magic, he changeable 3 of 11 for 11 points (4 of 5 from nan free-throw statement arsenic well), and he posted a minus-26 while connected nan court.

Dallas Mavericks guardant Cooper Flagg watches from nan chair during nan 2nd 4th against nan Orlando Magic astatine nan American Airlines Center successful Dallas, Texas, connected April 3, 2026. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

Flagg noted being keen connected what Knueppel was doing during nan year, showing emotion to his chap rookie.

"I spot nan games every night. I tin cheque nan container scores," he said astir watching Knueppel’s stat lines closely, per ESPN. "I deliberation besides I was watching Kon conscionable because that’s 1 of my brothers.

"We had specified a bully connection, and we’re gonna beryllium location for each different for nan remainder of our lives. I was watching him arsenic a fan, arsenic well, but location was evidently that title astatine nan aforesaid time."

Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per crippled this twelvemonth for nan Mavericks. Those numbers had him among immoderate NBA greats, arsenic Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic were nan only rookies earlier Flagg to mean astatine slightest 20 points, six rebounds and 4 assists since nan NBA-ABA merger, ESPN pointed out. Flagg besides led each rookies successful scoring this season.

As for Knueppel, he dropped 18.5 points per crippled pinch 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists, but while Flagg had him hit successful those categories, he reset nan rookie 3-pointers made grounds pinch 273. That number besides led nan NBA this season. Knueppel was besides a cardinal portion successful nan Hornets getting into nan Play-In Tournament to statesman with, finishing 44-38 earlier being eliminated by nan Magic.

But neither of them are still successful nan NBA Playoffs, arsenic Harper has excelled alongside his Spurs teammates, astir notably Victor Wembanyama, nan NBA’s Rookie of nan Year 2 seasons ago, and Stephon Castle, nan Rookie of nan Year during nan 2024-25 campaign.

San Antonio Spurs combo defender Dylan Harper shoots a 3-pointer complete Portland Trail Blazers PG Jrue Holiday astatine Moda Center. (Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images)

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Edgecombe besides played a captious domiciled successful nan 76ers toppling nan Boston Celtics successful a first-round shocker, coming backmost from a 3-1 shortage to triumph nan bid successful Game 7. Unfortunately for Edgecombe and his teammates, nan New York Knicks swept them successful nan Eastern Conference Semifinals.

The All-Rookie second-team consists of New Orleans Pelicans’ Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, Sacramento Kings’ Maxime Raynaud, Utah Jazz’s Ace Bailey and Toronto Raptors’ Collin Murray-Boyles.

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