Why Cooper Flagg should win NBA Rookie of the Year over Kon Knueppel

The Dallas Mavericks are coming off one of their worst seasons of the final 25 years.

But the 2025-26 marketing campaign shall be remembered for one cause: Cooper Flagg.

The Mavericks rookie vocalized his need to win Rookie of the Year lengthy earlier than I put collectively the résumé. Since October, his fundamental competitors has been Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel, his roommate throughout their one 12 months at Duke.

The NBA expects to distribute ballots by the finish of the week. As a half voter, I’ll have lower than 24 hours to return the poll, after which the league will announce finalists subsequent week and winners over the coming weeks.

For Rookie of the Year, we’re required to rank our high three candidates. Here’s the place I stand and my reasoning for voting for Flagg:

1. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
2. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers

Flagg’s impression was plain.

The Mavericks rookie made vital contributions in each class, averaging 21.0 factors, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks in 70 video games. He is the solely participant, not to mention rookie, in the NBA to achieve these averages in all 5 of these classes this season.

Knueppel’s totals of 18.5 factors, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.2 blocks are barely decrease. The solely counting stats through which the Charlotte guard has the edge over Flagg must do with capturing effectivity. But it is one cause voters may be inclined to present the nod to Knueppel, who offered his worth as an elite scorer, particularly from 3-point vary. He completed with capturing splits of 47.5% from the area, 42.5% from the 3-point line and 86.3% from the free throw line.

Flagg was proper behind with a area purpose share of 46.8% and free throw share of 82.7%, however he struggled with 3-point effectivity, capturing 29.5% from past the arc.

Knueppel appeared in 81 video games, lacking only one, one more reason some voters say he deserves the award over Flagg, who missed 12 video games of his rookie season, together with eight straight as a result of of a left midfoot sprain suffered proper earlier than the All-Star break.

Before his damage, Flagg turned the first teenager to attain 30 factors or extra in 4 straight video games.

It took Flagg a few week to regain his pre-All-Star kind after the foot damage, however he completed his last 21 video games of the season robust, averaging 22.6 factors, 6.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks. During the similar stretch, Knueppel totaled 16.3 factors, 4.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.2 blocks.

Here’s the place context comes into play.

Flagg’s rookie journey was initially perceived to be in contrast to that of a typical No. 1 total decide.

With three future Hall of Famers as teammates getting into the season, his offensive load was anticipated to be lighter. He was to be the third offensive possibility as a substitute of the first with fellow No. 1 picks Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis in the similar locker room. But Irving missed the complete 12 months to get better from an ACL tear, whereas Davis performed simply 20 video games and was out and in of the lineup earlier than he was traded to the Washington Wizards.

It was obvious Flagg could be the focus of any opposing workforce’s scouting report when the Los Angeles Lakers double-teamed him on the first play of the Las Vegas Summer League.

A pure ahead, Flagg was tasked with taking part in level guard for a number of video games to start out the season and drew the finest perimeter defender on a nightly foundation, which would not have been the case with Irving and Davis out there.

His function should’ve been just like what Knueppel skilled all season in Charlotte, particularly with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, who as the workforce’s first and second scoring choices each averaged 20 factors.

“Nothing against Knueppel. He is a piece of the puzzle for the Hornets. Cooper is the puzzle,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd stated in a latest episode of the Road Trippin’ podcast.

Flagg appeared in 70 video games for a Mavericks workforce that used 44 completely different beginning lineups. Only Max Christie (77) and Naji Marshall (74) performed in additional video games. Klay Thompson (69) and Brandon Williams (66) have been the solely different Mavericks to play above 65 video games, the benchmark used for NBA award eligibility.

Needless to say, Flagg spent most of the 12 months taking part in in inconsistent lineups, whereas the Hornets had their main beginning lineup of Knueppel, Ball, Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate for 40 video games, permitting greater than sufficient time to achieve continuity.

I’ve used nearly each iteration of the phrase historic this season, not as a result of I could not give you the rest, however as a result of Flagg was constantly one of the youngest players to accomplish feats no teenager who’d played in the NBA had achieved.

He entered this season as the youngest participant at the age of 18 and performed greater than 1 / 4 of the season (28 video games) earlier than turning 19 on Dec. 21, 2025.

Flagg is one of 4 rookies in NBA historical past to common not less than 21 factors, six rebounds, 4 assists and one steal, becoming a member of a category of Larry Bird, Luka Doncic and Michael Jordan. He and Jordan are the solely rookies since the 1973-74 season to guide their groups in complete factors, rebounds, assists and steals.

Flagg wasn’t anticipated to be a high-volume scorer in Year 1, however he turned the youngest participant in NBA historical past to attain 35 and 40 factors as an 18-year-old and 45 and 50 factors as a 19-year-old.

The Mavericks and Hornets met twice this season, and Charlotte gained each video games. Flagg did not play March 3 in Charlotte, but he and Knueppel put on a rookie showdown for the ages on Jan. 29 in Dallas. Flagg had a dominant efficiency with 49 factors, and Knueppel scored a career-high 34 and set a franchise rookie report with eight 3s.

Knueppel’s feats this season embody being the quickest participant in NBA historical past to achieve 100 3-pointers and 200 3-pointers and the youngest to hit not less than 250 3s. Overall, he made 272 3s, yet one more than Ball had for many in the NBA this 12 months. He additionally broke the rookie report for the most video games with 20 factors on capturing splits of 50/40/90, passing Stephen Curry.

Knueppel’s impression lies in effectivity, however Flagg’s impression on each side of the basketball offers him the benefit.

The Mavericks and Hornets have been clearly in numerous stratospheres this season.

Dallas completed 26-56, whereas Charlotte certified for the Play-In match after concluding the common season with a 44-38 report. The Hornets beat the Miami Heat on Tuesday evening to advance to the second sport.

Voters often issue profitable into their decision-making course of for regular-season honors similar to MVP and All-NBA, however latest outcomes counsel that is not the case for Rookie of the Year.

San Antonio has the earlier two ROY winners, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama, however the Spurs completed 34-48 final season and 22-60 in 2023-24. Paolo Banchero and Scottie Barnes earned ROY honors of their respective courses on groups that completed not less than .500, however Ball, Ja Morant and Luka Doncic performed for groups who didn’t produce profitable seasons.

The wins weren’t there for Dallas, however maybe that may be completely different if Flagg had a working mate who might common 20 factors, let solely two, as Knueppel did. With a wholesome roster of former All-Stars, the season might need had one other end result, however the manner it performed out should not dim the brightness of Flagg’s – sure, historic – season.