The NBA revealed its All-Rookie first team Wednesday evening, with Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg taking center stage as both the league’s Rookie of the Year and the top overall selection from last year’s draft.
A panel of 100 international media members voted to place Flagg alongside Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe, San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper, and Memphis Grizzlies guard Cedric Coward on the elite first team.
Three players earned unanimous recognition for the first team: Flagg, Knueppel, and Edgecombe. Harper secured 93 first-team votes, while Coward received 29 first-team selections along with 67 second-team votes.
The Rookie of the Year race proved extremely competitive, with Flagg barely defeating Knueppel by collecting 56 first-place votes compared to Knueppel’s 44.
The second team featured New Orleans Pelicans center Derik Queen, Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud, Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears, Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey, and Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles.
Scoring statistics showed the top three rookies were Flagg at 21.0 points per game, Knueppel at 18.5, and Edgecombe at 16.0. Flagg also ranked second in rookie assists with 4.5 per game, while Edgecombe finished fourth at 4.2. Knueppel made history by becoming the first rookie to lead the entire league in three-pointers made with 273.
Harper contributed 11.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.4 rebounds during the regular season for San Antonio. His playoff performance has improved to 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 steals across 12 games with one start.
Coward posted averages of 13.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists for Memphis. Unlike his four first-team colleagues who were the draft’s top four selections, Coward was chosen 11th overall from Washington State in the 2025 Draft.
