Cooper Flagg vs. Kon Knueppel has been the main talking point of this season’s NBA Rookie of the Year battle. Both players, plying their trade for the Dallas Mavericks and the Charlotte Hornets, respectively, are in a close race to win the marquee award.
Flagg strengthened his case with his 45-point showing against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday after earning NBA legend Carmelo Anthony’s endorsement.
Why Carmelo Anthony Backs Cooper Flagg for NBA Rookie of the Year
Speaking on NBA on NBC’s “Basketball Night in America” pregame segment, Anthony explained why he believes Flagg deserves to win ROY despite his previous pick, Knueppel, sizzling in his maiden season.
“My pick for Rookie of the Year was Knueppel, only for the simple fact that what they’re doing in Charlotte, his role in Charlotte, his impact in Charlotte,” Anthony said. “But when you really look at what Cooper Flagg is actually really doing, one of the youngest to score 50-plus points, 51 points the other night … and we talkin’ about star power, we talkin’ about faces of the league, too, right?
“Cooper has everything that you possibly could want from a young superstar. … He plays hard, he fills up every statistical category. We talk about [Victor Wembanyama] a lot of times with all the stat stuffing; he’s gonna be that from now until the end of time.”
On top of reaching 45 points on Sunday, the Duke alumnus recorded 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block as the Mavericks downed LA 134-128 at home. He shot 14-for-27 from the field, 2-for-4 from 3-point range, and 15-for-17 from the free-throw line.
The well-rounded performance further adds to what has already been an impressive stretch for the forward. While the Mavericks have had a forgettable season, Flagg has been one of the lone bright spots, averaging 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 66 games.
Despite his team’s dismal campaign, Flagg has held steady as one of the frontrunners to win ROY. His latest standout effort comes after his career-high 51-point night on Friday against the Orlando Magic.
Flagg is the first rookie since the legendary Allen Iverson (1996-97) to score 40 or more points in back-to-back games. He now has four 40-point games this season.
On the other hand, Knueppel has been on a tear for the Hornets, averaging 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 78 games. His durability has been stronger, and the Hornets sit eighth in the Eastern Conference (43-36), in contrast to the Mavericks, who rank 12th in the Western Conference (25-53).
Flagg’s historic night also saw Dallas snap its three-game losing streak. Up next, Flagg and Co. hit the road for a three-game trip, taking on the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and San Antonio Spurs.
