NBA Announces 2025-26 Rookie of the Year Finalists

Three of the top four picks in the 2025 NBA Draft are finalists for the Rookie of the Year award.

Apr 12, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) speaks to the crowd before the game against the Chicago Bulls at American Airlines Center. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The NBA regular season is in the books, and the 2025-26 award finalists have been announced.

After an entertaining campaign, the top three finishers for Defensive Player of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Most Improved Player, Clutch Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year and Rookie of the Year were revealed on Sunday, April 19.

The winners of each award will be revealed in the coming weeks, with Victor Wembanyama already being named Defensive Player of the Year as Chet Holmgren finished second and Ausar Thompson rounded out the top three.

The three finalists for Rookie of the Year were unsurprising, as top pick Cooper Flagg, No. 3 overall selection VJ Edgecombe and No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel earned the top spots.

Flagg's placement comes after an impressive close to the season that included 51 and 45-point outings in consecutive contests.

Overall, the 19-year-old averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 46.8% from the field, 29.5% from 3-point range and 82.7% from the free throw line. After spending one season at Duke, the heralded prospect lived up to expectations in his first season with the Mavericks.

While Dallas didn't have a good season in the win column, Flagg clearly showcased an impressive all-around skill set and the makings of a future star.

Throughout his rookie year, Flagg was in a battle for the Rookie of the Year award with Knueppel, his former Duke teammate. Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the field and 42.5% from 3-point range on 7.9 attempts per game.

Knueppel led the league in made 3-pointers and tallied the most made triples by a rookie in NBA history, as well as the most made 3-pointers in a season in Hornets' franchise history. In addition to his statistical performance, the 20-year-old helped Charlotte notch an impressive turnaround, as the Hornets won 44 games in 2025-26 after winning just 19 contests in 2024-25.

While Flagg and Knueppel are large favorites for the award, VJ Edgecombe also turned in a solid rookie season for a Philadelphia team that reached the playoffs. Edgecombe averaged 16 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 35.4% from 3-point range.

Edgecombe played one season at Baylor before being selected by the 76ers, who won 24 games in 2024-25, and 45 games in 2025-26.