As the Dallas Mavericks 2025-26 season has been largely disappointing, one of the few bright spots has been rookie Cooper Flagg, showing why he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. With the Mavericks star rookie in Flagg having been the heavy favorite for the NBA's Rookie of the Year (ROTY) honors, Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel has now taken over that spot, garnering the attention of head coach Jason Kidd.
Ironic, but it's the two former Duke teammates that are battling for ROTY, with Knueppel having an impressive year, averaging 19.1 points, 5,3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 43.8 percent from deep. On the other hand, Flagg has been averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 47,.4 percent from the field.
Kidd would be asked if Dallas must help Flagg capture ROTY.
“Yeah, I think it's a big priority that the organization pays attention to this,” Kidd said, according to Brad Townsend.
“But it's not just the organization,” Kidd continued. “This is a partnership, and Cooper has to be able to do his part. And he's doing his part. He's having a historic year as a rookie. When you put his numbers up against past rookies who have won the award, it's clear-cut that it's not even close that he is the one that will win Rookie of the Year.”
Mavericks' Jason Kidd on Cooper Flagg vs. Kon Knueppel
There's no denying that the award will come down to the two former Duke teammates, who both have been impressing, but one could argue that voters could look at the impact of winning. With the Mavericks 24-50 and their season already over, Charlotte is currently the eighth seed in the East, competing for a playoff spot.
“Everybody has their opinion on the vote, of popularity, of what the trend is,” Kidd said. “And so nothing against the Kneuppel. He's having a heck of a season. But when you look at the numbers…Cooper's are as good as anybody's.”
It remains to be seen who gets ROTY with Flagg and Knueppel the top two at the moment.
