Episode Details

Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks narrowly won the 2025-2026 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year award, edging out Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel in a close race. Flagg received 56 first-place votes to Knueppels 44, both players putting up star-level stats and significantly improving their teams. The twist came when Luka Doncics eligibility was questioned, pushing voting into the Play-In Tournament. Knueppels poor shooting performance in the Hornets first Play-In game may have influenced voters. Knueppel had an impressive rookie season, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.4 threes per game, leading the league in threes made. The debate continues over whether Doncics delay and Knueppels rough Play-In game cost him the award.

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