As the 2025-26 NBA regular season enters its final week, the focus isn’t just on the pursuit of the Larry O’Brien Trophy. While the bracket is taking shape, two individual races have reached a fever pitch. On one hand, you have an international MVP battle between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Victor Wembanyama, and Nikola Jokic. On the other, a high-stakes NBA Rookie of the Year duel is unfolding between former Duke teammates: Kon Knueppel in Charlotte and Cooper Flagg in Dallas.
Both players have laid out elite credentials this season. Knueppel, the fourth overall pick, has been a revelation for the Charlotte Hornets, shattering the rookie record for three-pointers made by a wide margin. Averaging 18.7 PPG and 5.3 RPG, he has provided much-needed stability, missing only a single game.
However, Cooper Flagg, the first overall pick, has surged back into the favorite’s spot following an incredible week. After dropping 51 points to become the only teenager in league history with a 50-piece, Flagg followed it up with 45 points in a 134-128 win over the Lakers. His 96 points over a two-game stretch are tied for the fifth-most by any rookie, trailing only four historic performances by Wilt Chamberlain.
Statistical Dominance: Cooper Flagg Chasing a Michael Jordan Record
Despite the Dallas Mavericks facing a second consecutive season without a playoff berth, Cooper Flagg has been the ultimate silver lining. Having played 66 games, Flagg comfortably clears the league’s 65-game rule for postseason awards, a threshold that stars like Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Stephen Curry and LeBron James are expected to miss this year.
This availability has placed Flagg in a unique position: he could legitimately secure a spot on of the All-NBA Teams as a teenager. The most staggering part of Flagg’s campaign is his versatility. He currently leads the Mavericks in Points, Rebounds, Assists, and Steals, a feat not seen by a rookie since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season.
Jordan took home the Rookie of the Year honors and an All-NBA Second Team selection that year, and Flagg is trending toward that exact trajectory. Slashing 21.0 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.6 APG, and 1.2 SPG, Flagg’s ceiling is nonexistent.
With Kyrie Irving potentially returning, the veteran mentorship of Khris Middleton, and a few calculated moves in free agency, Flagg has the Mavericks positioned as a dangerous dark horse for next season.
Three-Horse Race: Shai, Wemby, and Jokic Battle for MVP Honors
While the rookie race is a Duke showdown, the MVP race has narrowed to three generational talents following the injury to Luka Doncic. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is currently hunting for back-to-back MVP awards, aiming to become the 16th player in history to win more than one. As the best player on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, Shai’s case for consistency and leadership is hard to ignore.
However, Victor Wembanyama is making a historic push of his own. Already the heavy favorite for Defensive Player of the Year, the Frenchman could become the youngest MVP in the history of the sport. His defensive “no-fly zone” and offensive evolution have made the Spurs a nightly must-watch.
Then there is Nikola Jokic, who is quietly putting up numbers that eclipse his 2024 MVP campaign. “The Joker” is on track to finish his second consecutive season averaging a triple-double, a statistical anomaly that was once thought impossible in the modern era. Regardless of who takes the trophy, this will go down as one of the most balanced and talented MVP pools in the history of the NBA.
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