Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are the early favorites to potentially win this year's NBA Rookie of the Year Award. With the Dallas Mavericks set to play the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, March 3, we could have a potential showdown between the two rookie phenoms.
However, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd suggested that Flagg won't participate in that contest, according to Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Sports. If that is the case, then the 19-year-old rookie is likely to miss the team's next three games at least.
“Probably not,” said Kidd when asked if Flagg would be available for the Mavericks' game against the Hornets.
The Mavericks have been without Cooper Flagg for the past five games, with his sixth straight missed contest coming on Friday when Dallas faces off against the Memphis Grizzlies. He recently had a walking boot removed, which was a sign of progress on his left midfoot sprain. However, Flagg has remained out of the lineup.
When healthy, Flagg has been solid for the Mavericks in his rookie year. Through 49 games played, the former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 48.2% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the three-point line.
He is in direct competition for the Rookie of the Year Award with Kon Knueppel, as the Hornets' star has become an immediate star for the club. Knueppel, who was Flagg's teammate in college at Duke, is averaging 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per contest. He also owns a 49.1% field goal percentage and a 44.2% three-point percentage through 59 games played.
