Cooper Flagg unanimously selected to All-Rookie

Cooper Flagg added another league honor on May 20 when the NBA named the Dallas Mavericks forward/guard to its 2025-26 All-Rookie First Team by unanimous vote. The league said Flagg received first-team votes on all 100 ballots cast by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. ESPN and the Mavericks both reported that Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel and Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe were also unanimous first-team picks. The announcement came weeks after Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year. ### How unanimous was the vote? The NBA said Flagg earned first-team votes on all 100 ballots in the All-Rookie voting. Dallas said that made him a unanimous first-team selection and the second-youngest player ever to earn NBA All-Rookie First Team honors. ESPN reported that Knueppel and Edgecombe matched Flagg by appearing as first-team choices on every ballot. The first team was rounded out by San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper and Memphis Grizzlies wing Cedric Coward, according to the NBA’s official results. ### Who else made the first and second teams? Dylan Harper appeared on all 100 ballots, but not unanimously on the first team, with 93 first-team votes and seven second-team votes, according to the NBA’s released totals. Cedric Coward joined him on the first team after finishing fifth in the voting. The NBA’s second team included Derik Queen of the New Orleans Pelicans, Khaman Maluach of the Phoenix Suns, Jeremiah Fears of the Washington Wizards, Carter Bryant of the Utah Jazz and Maxime Raynaud of the Sacramento Kings, according to the league announcement. ### How does this fit with Flagg’s rookie season? Flagg had already been voted Rookie of the Year before Wednesday’s All-Rookie results. ESPN said he edged Knueppel in that race, and the Mavericks framed the All-Rookie selection as the latest honor in what the team called a historic debut season. The Dallas News reported that Flagg became one of the youngest players ever to make the first team. Other coverage of the rookie awards noted Flagg’s role at the center of Dallas’ season after entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick. ### Why were Knueppel and Edgecombe part of the same headline? Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe were the other two rookies to sweep the first-team ballots, which made them the clearest companions to Flagg in the voting results. ESPN’s report led with Flagg and Knueppel in the headline, while the NBA’s official release grouped all three unanimous selections together. Charlotte’s Knueppel and Philadelphia’s Edgecombe gave the first team representatives from three different franchises. Harper and Coward completed a first team that otherwise tracked closely with the top of the 2025 draft class, except for Coward, who was taken 11th overall, according to published voting recaps. ### What does the Mavericks’ announcement add? Dallas issued its own release on May 20 confirming Flagg’s unanimous selection and repeating the 100-ballot total. The team statement identified him as a forward/guard and said the honor followed his Rookie of the Year award. The Mavericks’ release also fixed the timing and place of the announcement, listing it from Dallas at 7:27 p.m. CDT on May 20. Team sites often republish league award results, but in this case Dallas added the note that Flagg was the second-youngest player ever to make the All-Rookie First Team. ### What comes next on the NBA awards calendar? ESPN’s report said the NBA plans to announce the All-Defensive Team on Friday, the All-NBA Team on Sunday and Coach of the Year on Tuesday. The All-Rookie results were unveiled Wednesday night as that end-of-season awards schedule continued.