Back
Sports

Cooper Flagg Wins NBA Rookie of the Year; Rookie Season Includes Historic Scoring Performances

Generated on: Last updated: 8 sources
View source

"Flagg defeated former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets by 26 points... one of the closest votes in the award's history."

Dallas Mavericks Forward Cooper Flagg Wins 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, 19, has been named the 2024-25 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, receiving the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. Flagg defeated former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets by 26 points in a vote by 100 reporters and broadcasters.

This is one of the closest votes in the award's history since the current voting format was introduced, with Scottie Barnes defeating Evan Mobley by 15 points in 2022.

Rookie of the Year Voting

The voting panel consisted of 100 reporters and broadcasters. Flagg and Knueppel both received first-place votes. Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe was the other finalist.

Player Statistics

Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)
  • Averaged 21.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 70 games.
  • Led the Mavericks in points, rebounds, assists, and steals, becoming the first rookie to do so since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season.
  • Recorded a 51-point game against the Orlando Magic, becoming the first teenager to score 50 points in an NBA game.
  • Recorded four 40-point games as a teenager, the most all-time.
  • Set the Mavericks' single-game rookie scoring record (51 points), surpassing the previous record he shared with Mark Aguirre.
Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
  • Averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 42.5% on three-pointers.
  • Led the NBA in three-pointers made as a rookie with 273.
  • Joined Larry Bird and Paul Pierce as the only rookies to average 15 points and five rebounds while shooting over 40% from three-point range.

Team Context

  • The Dallas Mavericks finished the season with a record of 26-56.
  • The Charlotte Hornets finished the season with 44 wins, an improvement of 25 wins from the previous season, and qualified for the play-in tournament.

All-Rookie Teams

Flagg, Knueppel, and Edgecombe were unanimous first-team selections for the 2024-25 NBA All-Rookie Teams. San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper and Memphis Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward also made the first team.

The All-Rookie Second Team consists of:

  • New Orleans Pelicans guards Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen
  • Utah Jazz forward Ace Bailey
  • Sacramento Kings center Maxime Raynaud
  • Toronto Raptors forward Collin Murray-Boyles

Key Individual Performances During the Season

Cooper Flagg Scores 51 Points in Loss to Orlando Magic

In a 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic, Flagg scored 51 points, establishing him as the first teenager to score 51 points in an NBA game. He scored 24 points in the fourth quarter. During the game, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd and forward Naji Marshall were ejected following complaints about a no-call on a foul by Desmond Bane against Flagg. The Mavericks' home losing streak extended to 14 consecutive games, the longest since the 1993-94 season.

Cooper Flagg Scores 49 Points in Loss to Charlotte Hornets

In a 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Flagg scored 49 points, a new NBA record for points by a teenager at the time. He also recorded 10 rebounds. Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel scored a career-high 34 points, including eight three-pointers. The game was the first NBA meeting between Flagg and Knueppel.

Cooper Flagg Scores 45 Points in Win Over Los Angeles Lakers

In a 134-128 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, Flagg contributed 45 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. This made him the first rookie to record back-to-back 40-point games since Allen Iverson in 1997. The Lakers played without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Previous Award Announcements

  • Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs) — unanimous
  • Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)
  • Sixth Man of the Year: Keldon Johnson (San Antonio Spurs)
  • Sportsmanship Award: Derrick White (Boston Celtics)
  • Most Improved Player: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Atlanta Hawks)

Upcoming Award Announcements

  • MVP (finalists: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic)
  • Coach of the Year (finalists: J.B. Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson, Joe Mazzulla)
  • Executive of the Year
  • Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year
  • Hustle Award
  • All-Defensive Teams
  • All-NBA Teams