Rookie of the Year Race Shaken by Doncic, Cunningham Eligibility

Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg's tight battle for the award may have been decided by the NBA's last-minute rule changes.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 4:13pm

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A cubist, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of bright blue, orange, and green, conceptually representing the intense competition and rivalry between two young NBA stars.The tight Rookie of the Year race between Knueppel and Flagg was upended by late-breaking eligibility changes and a single poor performance.Washington Today

Former Duke teammates Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg were engaged in a close race for the NBA Rookie of the Year award all season, but the eligibility challenges from Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham may have swung the outcome in Flagg's favor. The NBA extended the voting deadline due to 'extraordinary circumstances' surrounding Doncic and Cunningham, allowing voters to factor in Knueppel's poor performance in the Play-In Tournament just before the final ballots were due.

Why it matters

The Rookie of the Year award is a prestigious honor that can launch a young player's career and influence their future earning potential. This year's race was especially tight, with Knueppel and Flagg both putting up historic rookie seasons. The NBA's last-minute rule changes and voting deadline extension added an unusual twist, potentially swaying the outcome based on a single bad game from Knueppel.

The details

Knueppel had been leading Flagg in first-place votes for much of the season, but that changed after the Play-In Tournament. Knueppel struggled in the Hornets' Play-In game on April 14, just two days before the final voting deadline. He scored only 6 points on 16.7% shooting, was benched late, and was visibly upset on the sideline. This last impression may have influenced voters, with Flagg now holding a 13-12 lead in first-place votes, claiming 11 of the 17 (64.7%) cast after the Play-In.

  • The NBA's regular voting deadline was midnight on April 12, immediately after the regular season.
  • Doncic and Cunningham successfully challenged their initial ineligibility, leading the NBA to extend the voting deadline to 3:00 p.m. on April 17.
  • Knueppel played his poor Play-In game on April 14, just two days before the final voting deadline.

The players

Kon Knueppel

A rookie forward for the Charlotte Hornets who led the league in made 3-pointers and was engaged in a tight race for Rookie of the Year with his former Duke teammate.

Cooper Flagg

A rookie forward for the Orlando Magic who became the youngest player to score 50 points in an NBA game and surged late in the Rookie of the Year race.

Luka Doncic

A veteran All-NBA guard for the Dallas Mavericks who successfully challenged his initial ineligibility for regular-season awards.

Cade Cunningham

A veteran All-NBA guard for the Detroit Pistons who also successfully challenged his initial ineligibility for regular-season awards after suffering a collapsed lung.

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What they’re saying

“The Play-In totally influenced my thinking in a first-time-in-history situation.”

— Rachel Nichols, Fox Sports 1 Analyst and Voter

What’s next

The NBA has not set a firm date for announcing the Rookie of the Year winner, but it typically happens in the middle or late stages of the playoffs.

The takeaway

This year's Rookie of the Year race highlights the unpredictable nature of awards voting, with last-minute rule changes and a single poor performance potentially swaying the outcome. It underscores the importance of consistent play throughout the entire season, as well as the influence that veteran stars can have on the awards process.