Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks has been named the NBA Rookie of the Year, surpassing his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel. Flagg achieved numerous records for an NBA teenager during a challenging season for the Mavericks, including becoming the first rookie to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season. Despite the Mavericks' struggles, Flagg's impressive performance earned him the top rookie honor. Flagg and Knueppel made history as the first former college teammates to finish first and second in rookie scoring since Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon in 2004-05.
Flagg expressed his admiration for Knueppel, stating that he kept a close eye on his fellow rookie's progress throughout the season, both as a competitor and as a friend. The NBA Rookie of the Year award marks the sixth major honor announced by the league since the regular season concluded.