The National Basketball Association’s recognition period is currently underway, with further announcements made on Wednesday.
Cooper Flagg, a first-year player for the Dallas Mavericks, secured the Rookie of the Year accolade in late April, but the league disclosed the 2025-26 All-Rookie Team on Wednesday evening, acknowledging the top performers in their inaugural NBA campaign.
It was clear that Flagg would be among the five individuals chosen for the All-Rookie First Team. Other inductees included Kon Kneuppel, a guard from the Charlotte Hornets; VJ Edgecombe, a guard from the Philadelphia 76ers; Dylan Harper, a guard from the San Antonio Spurs; and Cedric Coward, a forward from the Memphis Grizzlies.
The forward for the Mavericks topped all first-year players by averaging 21 points per contest. His performance also included 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists on average, along with a 46.8% field goal accuracy.
Knueppel achieved a 42.5% success rate from long range, which was the highest among freshmen who attempted a minimum of 80 three-pointers. He posted an average of 18.5 points per game and established a new freshman benchmark for the highest number of three-pointers converted in a single season. The Hornets’ guard connected on 273 shots from downtown, significantly surpassing the previous best of 207, which was established by Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray during the 2022-23 season.
Edgecombe participated in 75 matchups during his debut year, posting an average of 16 points per game, which ranked as the third-highest scoring average among all first-year players this season.
Harper primarily served as a reserve throughout his 69 appearances for the Spurs, yet he contributed valuable support. The guard distinguished himself with impressive dunks that became season highlights towards the conclusion of the schedule.
Coward featured in 62 contests, registering an average of 13.6 points. He also contributed 5.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists on average, participating for 25.8 minutes per game.
The quintet of players selected for the NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of Jeremiah Fears, a guard from the New Orleans Pelicans; Ace Bailey, a forward from the Utah Jazz; Maxime Raynaud, a center from the Sacramento Kings; Collin Murray-Boyles, a forward from the Toronto Raptors; and Derik Queen, a forward also from the Pelicans.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, a frontcourt player for the Charlotte Hornets, was narrowly missed being included in that collective, as eight additional players also garnered votes for the second team.
