The Cooper Flagg vs. Kon Knueppel for Rookie of the Year continues to make headlines. With the regular season inching closer to a close, the forwards of the Dallas Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets, respectively, are locked in a close race to win the marquee award.
The debate has been about Flagg’s dominance for a Mavericks side that hits an early offseason, against Knueppel being a force for the play-in-bound Hornets. In his latest, analyst Bill Simmons shared his two cents on who he picks for ROTY.
NBA Analyst Bill Simmons Makes His ROTY Choice Between Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel
Speaking on the latest episode of his The Bill Simmons Podcast, the analyst believed Knueppel was a clear choice. I can’t believe Flag is favoured versus Kon [Knueppel], who’s the second best guy on a playoff team that’s going to win like 46, 47 games,” said. “He’s going to lead the league in threes. I think he’s the key to that team in a lot of ways.”
“And then, Flagg, who I think is, I love Flagg. He’s fantastic, but he’s doing this on basically a tanking lottery team that’s going to win 25 games, and now is trying to build their team around him trying to win the award.”
But you have this situation of a rookie having a historic season who’s really important to a team that’s been one of the best teams in the league for 45 games now,” he further added. “And I don’t understand how that’s not rookie of the year, because Flagg scores two more points a game? It’s just bizarre. For me, it’s like a no-brainer. I would take Kon.”
Simmons’ argument sees him join the segment of critics and fans rooting for Knueppel, based on the same argument. On the stats front, Flagg has been on a tear for Dallas, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 68 games. Knueppel averages 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 79 games.
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His durability has been better than Flagg’s, even if the numbers have seen a dip. The Hornets have benefited from his two-way play, and now look to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 NBA season. Irrespective of where they finish this season, Knueppel’s contributions make him a vital cog in a young and dynamic Charlotte outfit.
Quite simply, Flagg has been a force for a team that’s hit rebuild after doing away with Anthony Davis during the trade deadline window. The Hornets accelerated after a slow start, and Knueppel has played a massive role in their late surge that put them in postseason contention.
For now, all signs indicate the latter edging the Mavericks rookie. With both teams left with two games each in the regular season, they have one last shot at dropping elite performances to strengthen their case. Only time will tell who wins the honors.
