Who has current edge between Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg for rookie of the year?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kon Knueppel’s head coach already knows what to expect.

Not much seems to faze the Charlotte Hornets rookie, and it’s quickly become evident to Charles Lee in the short time the two have been together.

“He handles everything the same way, which is what I love about him,” the Hornets coach said. “Nothing is too big, nothing is too small. I’ve called him to tell him congrats on individual accolades, and he’s kind of like, ‘OK, great, Coach. What are we doing tomorrow for the game and how can the team keep making progress?’

“It’s never about him or this individual matchup, but I think that he thrives in those moments. He’s fearless.”

That was on display again Thursday night, when Knueppel registered a career high in points during the Hornets’ 123-121 win over the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

Knueppel officially squared off against fellow Duke product and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg for the first time in the NBA, doing it for real after their preseason tune-up in Dallas in October. And Knueppel hit a pair of free throws after getting fouled by Flagg with 4.1 seconds left to seal the Hornets’ fifth straight win — a feat that hasn’t happened since 2022-23.

Knueppel came out hot and swished his first three shots beyond the arc and ended up tossing in 34 points, connecting on 10 of 16 attempts and going 8 for 12 from 3-point range. Flagg wasn’t too shabby, either, with a career-best 49 points to go with 10 rebounds.

“It was fun — he was probably the best player on the floor tonight,” Knueppel said. “That was the best a player’s played against us all season. It was just fun competing against the best. And obviously being close to him, that kind of adds to the competitiveness. So, it was really fun.

“I told him keep going because he was special tonight.”

Their performances put the spotlight on the respective resumes they’re compiling as each vies for the ultimate prize for first-year players in the league outside of getting an opportunity to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy as NBA champs: the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year award.

Knueppel and Flagg are each making their case, having been chosen to participate in the Castrol Rising Stars game during NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles on Feb. 13. Let’s take a look at how they stack up:

Knueppel’s case

In knocking down eight shots behind the arc against Dallas, Knueppel set the franchise rookie record for made 3-pointers in a single game, breaking the previous mark set by five players including himself.

Just how rare are some of Knueppel’s accomplishments?

Well, the two-time Eastern Conference rookie of the month is one of only two players in the NBA this season who’s averaging 15 points and five rebounds per game while knocking down at least 42% from 3-point range. The other? That would be Denver star and three-time NBA most valuable player Nikola Jokic.

Through his first 47 games, Knueppel also ranks second among rookies in scoring behind Flagg at 18.7 points per game and was third in the NBA in 3-pointers made (153). He’s registered four games of at least 30 points, with the latest coming against the Mavs.

Don’t forget Knueppel is already the fastest player to reach 100 made career 3-pointers, establishing the impressive mark 12 games quicker than Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, who held the record until Knueppel shattered it.

If that’s not enough, Knueppel snapped the previous rookie record of Charlotte’s prodigal son Steph Curry for most 20-point games while sinking at least 50% overall, 40 beyond the 3-point line and 90% from the free-throw line. He’s in the top 10 for most made 3-pointers by a rookie.

Besides that, he’s become better at holding his own on defense and is extremely coachable.

“Sometimes I yell at him, and he’s like, ’OK, you done yelling? On to the next play,’ ” Lee said. “So, I love that about him.”

Flagg’s case

With Flagg, his versatility makes him a tough cover.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd entrusted Flagg with the point guard duties when training camp started, figuring it would be a good way to break Flagg into the mix with Kyrie Irving sidelined while rehabilitating a torn left ACL. And he’s flourished at times, displaying how he can score from anywhere on the court and is adept at setting up teammates.

“He’s had an opportunity to grow, playing some point guard at times and being a major creator,” Lee said. “By being a creator, sometimes you’ve got to score, sometimes you’ve got to make the right pass. He’s always been a confident player. … The more reps he gets, the more coverage he gets to see, he gets a little bit better.”

One of the few flaws on Flagg’s statistical chart: He’s shooting only 28% beyond the arc. But the Hornets won’t quibble much about that given how Flagg got hot during the second quarter, firing in 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting in nine minutes.

Flagg entered the week averaging 18.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks in 33.8 minutes per game through 43 appearances — all starts — and had totaled 73 points in the clutch, representing the ninth most in that category in the league.

He now holds the Mavs’ rookie record for most points in a game after going off against the Hornets, topping the previous record of 42 points, which was shared by Mark Aguirre — who had his jersey retired during halftime Thursday — and Flagg.

And get this: The 40 points, seven rebounds and two assists through three quarters against the Hornets made Flagg the first teenager since 1996-97 to score 40 points through three quarters. He’s also the first rookie in the play-by-play era to accomplish the feat.

Additionally, Flagg is the only player who sits in the top 10 in clutch points (73), rebounds (29) and assists (13).

Conclusion

Everyone knew how good Cooper Flagg was. The same couldn’t be said by most when it comes to Kon Knueppel.

Knueppel has proven he’s capable of being a solid player for a very long time.

And from this vantage point, Knueppel had the ever-so-slight nod for the Rookie of the Year honor heading into this matchup. It wasn’t a hefty margin by any means, and it was partially due to Knueppel’s contributions that helped keep the team afloat while LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller battled through early-season injuries.

But Flagg’s flamethrowing outing against the Hornets moves him into a race that’s neck and neck and closer than many probably anticipated long before the season began. Make no mistake, though: Flagg will need a strong finish to keep hold on his miniscule lead in the race for the cream of the 2025 rookie crop.

In the meantime, don’t expect any trash talk between the two about the hardware.

“I think we’d both like to win it,” Knueppel said. “But we don’t talk about it. This was a heck of a game. I think he’s going to jump me with 49 and 10, but it is what it is. An award like that is cool, but whoever gets it, I’ll be happy for him.”