The NBA has one of its most intriguing Rookie of the Year races in recent memory with Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. Both are posting spectacular numbers for first-year players, and former NBA player Iman Shumpert offered a unique perspective on how they differ.
Iman Shumpert Uses LeBron James-Carmelo Anthony ROTY Race in Cooper Flagg-Kon Knueppel ROTY Battle
During his appearance on ESPN’s “NBA Today,” Shumpert compared the current Rookie of the Year race to the intense battle between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony during the 2003-04 season. He used that example to highlight a key difference between Flagg and Knueppel.
Shumpert suggested that, unlike Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks, Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets are in playoff contention, which could strengthen Knueppel’s case. However, Anthony led the Denver Nuggets to the playoffs in his rookie year, while James did not with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James ultimately captured the award, finishing with averages of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. Anthony placed as the runner-up, posting 21.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game for the playoff-bound Nuggets, who were eliminated in the first round after a five-game loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
“I get that they have similar numbers, and then you have to say that Kon, man, is in a different position where they are in a win-now, and that’s going to look a lot better, but all I’m going to say is when a race is like this, we’ve seen this similarly before, and… let’s be consistent when we start talking about it, because we gave it to Bron-Bron.”
.@imanShumpert compares Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel’s ROY race to LeBron and Carmelo’s back in the 2003-04 season 👀 pic.twitter.com/nDxS844L97
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 16, 2026
Flagg and the Mavericks remain far from playoff contention, with Kyrie Irving’s injury and the trade of Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards confirming their direction this season. Ironically, the Hornets were in a similar position earlier, but a recent surge has them at the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, with time to climb higher if they sustain their momentum.
Flagg has looked like the more mesmerizing talent, while Knueppel has appeared more NBA-ready, a distinction that has influenced how their respective teams have performed. There is no telling how either would fare if they switched teams.
For context, Shumpert played with both Anthony and James during his NBA career — with Anthony from 2011 to 2015 and with James from 2015 to 2018. His firsthand experience with both players lends credibility to his perspective.
