The case for Cooper Flagg: Why Mavs' phenom should win Rookie of Year over Kon Knueppel

Dallas rookie's historic season puts him ahead of Charlotte's young sharpshooter

Mar. 29, 2026 at 10:05am by Ben Kaplan

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In a close Rookie of the Year race between Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, the stats and metrics show Flagg has had the more impressive and historic rookie campaign, putting him ahead of his Duke teammate and close friend.

Why it matters

The Rookie of the Year award is a prestigious honor that can set the trajectory for a young player's career. This race between two talented rookies has drawn comparisons to the 1995 tie between Jason Kidd and Grant Hill, but the numbers indicate Flagg's season has been even more dominant than Knueppel's.

The details

Flagg, 20, is the only rookie ranked in the top 5 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. He's on pace to become just the 8th rookie in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Flagg also set the record for most points scored by a teenager in a single game. Meanwhile, Knueppel, 20, has had an excellent season as well, becoming the youngest player under 22 to make over 250 3-pointers. But Flagg's all-around dominance gives him the edge.

  • On January 29, Flagg scored a career-high 49 points against Knueppel's Hornets.
  • Flagg missed 8 games in February and early March due to a left midfoot sprain, but has averaged 20.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.0 steal since returning.

The players

Cooper Flagg

A 20-year-old forward for the Dallas Mavericks who is having a historic rookie season, ranking among the top 5 rookies in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks.

Kon Knueppel

A 20-year-old guard for the Charlotte Hornets who has had an excellent rookie campaign, becoming the youngest player under 22 to make over 250 3-pointers in a season.

Jason Kidd

The head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, who had a legendary rookie season in 1994-95 that ended in a tie for Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill.

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What they’re saying

“He's been incredible. The expectations of what he was supposed to do, I think he's delivered even more so than that.”

— Jason Kidd, Head Coach, Dallas Mavericks

“He's so positive. He's gotten better and better as the season has gone on. He's all about competition and he wants to win.”

— Jason Kidd, Head Coach, Dallas Mavericks

What’s next

The NBA will announce the Rookie of the Year award winner in the next two weeks, with the race between Flagg and Knueppel remaining close. Flagg's historic stats and metrics may give him the edge, but Knueppel's strong season for the Hornets could also sway some voters.

The takeaway

This Rookie of the Year race between Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel has drawn comparisons to the legendary 1995 tie between Jason Kidd and Grant Hill. But the numbers show Flagg has had an even more dominant and historic rookie campaign, putting him ahead of his Duke teammate and close friend in the voting.