Real-time vote tracking with Bayesian win probability projections.
π Cooper Flagg has won the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year award, edging former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in the closest ROY race in years. Flagg earned 122 points on 19 first-place votes vs. Knueppel's 121 points on 17 first-place votes β a margin of just 1 point. The winner was announced on April 27, 2026.
Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks) averaged 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.5 APG. He was asked to do more as a scorer, played elite defense for a rookie, and had explosive individual scoring performances. Voters ultimately gave him the slimmest of edges for his two-way impact.
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets) averaged 16.8 PPG on 47.3% shooting with 4.5 APG. He led all rookies β and the entire league β in made three-pointers, drawing Steph Curry comparisons. With 121 points and 17 first-place votes, he came as close to winning as possible without doing so.
The 1-point gap is the tightest ROY race in modern history. For comparison, the Scottie Barnes vs Evan Mobley race in 2022 had a 23-point margin, and the Luka vs Trae debate in 2019 wasn't even close in votes (Luka won by 310 points).