All articles tagged with #rookie of the year
Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and VJ Edgecombe were unanimously named to the First Team All-Rookie, with Flagg capturing Rookie of the Year, as this year's exceptionally deep rookie class produced several worthy second-team candidates and left some playoff contributors off the All-Rookie list.
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer won the NHL Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year with 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) in 82 games, becoming the youngest Calder winner and leading all rookies in goals; Capitals rookies Ryan Leonard (45 points in 75 games) and Justin Sourdif (35 points in 78 games) also earned votes, finishing eighth and 12th in the voting respectively.
Albert Breer’s NFL mailbag spotlights Rookie of the Year frontrunners (offense led by Jeremiyah Love with Jadarian Price and Carnell Tate in the mix; defense highlighted by David Bailey) and then dives into team-by-team outlooks: Antonio Williams in Washington; a Saints offense poised to rise under Kellen Moore and Doug Nussmeier; Cowboys with a Fangio-inspired scheme and Caleb Downs’s fit; Rams’ QB path via a potential 1st‑round trade; Raiders’ O‑line ceiling under Rick Dennison; potential Crosby trade scenarios; Stefon Diggs’s market across possible landing spots; how quickly Chiefs’ rookies will contribute; possible destinations for Cam Jordan and Tyreek Hill; Brendan Sorsby’s ~55% chance of entering the supplemental draft; and Ladd McConkey’s potential impact on the WR market.
Isles defenseman Matthew Schaefer, 18, won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie after a season in which he led rookie defensemen in goals (23) and posted 59 points over 82 games, averaging 24:41 of ice time. The award was announced in a tearful surprise on ABC’s GMA3 with his father and brother in attendance, and Schaefer honored his late mother Jennifer; he is opening the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center at Northwell Health’s RJ Zuckerberg Cancer Center in New Hyde Park, opening in October with support from the Islanders Children’s Foundation. He becomes the youngest Calder winner in NHL history and the Islanders’ first since Mathew Barzal in 2017-18.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg won the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as NBA Rookie of the Year, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists through 70 games; at his post‑award press conference a woman seated with his parents drew online buzz amid speculation she could be Arianna Roberson of Duke, though the identity remains unconfirmed.
Cooper Flagg says his first real Welcome to the NBA moment came against Victor Wembanyama, recalling Wembanyama's explosive opening and praising the Spurs' depth as they push toward title contention this season.
Cooper Flagg narrowly won the NBA Rookie of the Year over Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, becoming the Dallas Mavericks’ third ROY after Jason Kidd and Luka Dončić. Flagg posted 21 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 4.5 APG while anchoring Dallas and delivering a record 51-point game; Knueppel averaged 18.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.4 APG for the Hornets, including a rookie-record 273 three-pointers. Voting was close: Flagg led with 56 first-place votes to Knueppel’s 44, while Knueppel had 55 second-place votes to Flagg’s 44.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg was named the 2025-26 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year, becoming the first to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals since Michael Jordan; he edged former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel by 26 points in a close vote, with Knueppel having led the league in 3-pointers and helped Charlotte reach the play-in.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg won the NBA Rookie of the Year award, edging his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel.
The finalists for seven major 2025-26 NBA regular-season awards will be announced tonight on NBC, starting at 6 p.m. ET before Game 1 of the Orlando Magic vs. Detroit Pistons series. Four awards (Clutch Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year) will be revealed in pregame, while MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year will be announced at halftime.
SB Nation’s NBA awards picks name Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as MVP, Victor Wembanyama as Defensive Player of the Year, Kon Knueppel as Rookie of the Year, Keldon Johnson as Sixth Man, and JB Bickerstaff as Coach of the Year, with all-NBA and All-Defensive teams plus clutch and most-improved honors, while noting the league’s 65-game rule creates eligibility quirks this season.
A betting analyst highlights five MLB futures for 2026: Wyatt Langford to win AL MVP (+4000) amid an improved Rangers lineup; Sal Stewart for NL Rookie of the Year (+700) after a strong spring in Cincinnati; the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series (+2200) thanks to a solid rotation and added offense; Don Kelly for NL Manager of the Year (+750) with a Pirates run at contention; and Nick Kurtz to lead the Regular Season in homers (+1700) in a hitter-friendly park.
Kon Knueppel remains the Kia Rookie Ladder leader in a tightening ROY race, edging ahead of Cooper Flagg thanks to durability and Charlotte’s stronger win total, while Knueppel’s deep shooting and efficiency keep him ahead (he’s leading in 3-pointers and flirting with 50/40/90-level accuracy). VJ Edgecombe stays third; Dylan Harper and Derik Queen sit 4th and 5th, with other rookies like Ryan Nembhard and Hugo González making notable contributions as voters prepare for ROY decisions in about six weeks (stats through March 3).
Kon Knueppel has delivered a more impactful rookie season for the Hornets than Cooper Flagg for the Mavericks, posting superior shooting efficiency, an elite rookie three-point rate, and strong win shares, while Flagg—though the top-two pick—has a high-usage role that hurts his efficiency. The race is razor-thin and influenced by injury and perception, but Knueppel’s all-around impact makes a case for him as RoY over the hype surrounding Flagg.
Oakland has reportedly offered Nick Kurtz a long-term extension as the A’s plan for a Vegas era, with Kurtz expressing interest but timing uncertain; his ROY-winning rookie season and five years of team control drive the discussion, with analysts suggesting a deal in the $150M+ range could be needed to lock him up now.