Cooper Flagg Overwhelming Favorite for Rookie of Year

An ESPN offseason survey compiled by Tim Bontemps found Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg to be the overwhelming favorite for the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year, receiving 19 of 20 votes. He also received 18 of 20 votes as the 2025 draft class's projected best player in five years. Flagg was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft after a decorated season at Duke, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, and is expected to join a veteran Mavericks roster ahead of an Oct. 22 season opener. Observers point to his versatility, size and two-way impact as the basis for the high expectations entering his rookie season.