Flagg makes an immediate impact, soaring to fourth on the rookie ladder. Can he maintain this pace amidst Dallas' rebuilding turmoil?
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg opened the 2025–26 campaign as one of the league’s most anticipated newcomers, and the No. 4 rookie in the first edition of NBA.com’s Rookie Ladder.
The 18-year-old has averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists through four games, despite battling a minor left shoulder injury in Monday’s loss to Oklahoma City. His top performance came against Toronto, when he tallied 22 points, four rebounds, four assists, and no turnovers, joining Kobe Bryant as the only 18-year-olds in NBA history to post a 20-point, zero-turnover game.
The opening ladder placed Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe in the top spot after averaging 22.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.5 assists through four games. Memphis wing Cedric Coward ranked second with 16.5 points per game on 69.7% shooting, followed by San Antonio guard Dylan Harper at third (14.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists).
Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick out of Duke, trails only those three in the early Rookie of the Year race. NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner noted that Dallas’ early-season drama — following the Luka Dončić trade and the spotlight on coach Jason Kidd’s decision to play Flagg at point guard in Kyrie Irving’s absence — has intensified scrutiny on the teenager’s every performance.
Washington’s Tre Johnson rounded out the top five after scoring at least 16 points in each of his first three games, joining Kevin Durant as the only teenagers to do so while hitting multiple 3-pointers in each outing.
The rest of the top 10 featured Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel (No. 6), New Orleans’ Jeremiah Fears (No. 7) and Derik Queen (No. 8), Toronto’s Collin Murray-Boyles (No. 9), and Charlotte center Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 10).
Seven of the top 10 picks from the 2025 NBA Draft appeared in this week’s rankings — a stark contrast from last year’s ladder debut, which included only three. The three top-10 selections missing from the list were Utah’s Ace Bailey (No. 5 pick), Indiana’s Egor Dëmin (No. 8), and New Orleans’ Khaman Maluach (No. 10).
For Flagg, the ranking reflects both strong early returns and the elevated expectations surrounding Dallas’ rebuild. The Mavericks turned to him as their new franchise centerpiece after the Dončić trade, placing unusual responsibility on a player still adjusting to the NBA’s physicality and pace.
His versatility and poise, however, have kept him firmly in the Rookie of the Year discussion. NBA.com projected that with a few more efficient weeks, he could reclaim frontrunner status in the race for the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy — an award given annually to the league’s top rookie.
Aschburner concluded that while the class is deeper than recent years, Flagg remains the likely victor if he continues to evolve through expanded minutes and growing command of the Mavericks’ offense.