Feature Image: Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel and Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg wait for play to start during an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Dallas, Texas at American Airlines Center. (Photo Credits/Jessica Tobias)
With the regular season at an end and the play-in tournament in full effect, we inch closer everyday to NBA awards. This time we are talking about the Rookie of the Year (ROTY) race.
Some say the NBA MVP race is a tight call, but I am here to say that I believe that the ROTY race is even closer.
The two names at the top are Charlotte Hornets Kon Knueppel and Dallas Mavericks Cooper Flagg. Alongside the two is Philadelphia 76ers VJ Edgecombe–let us start with Edgecombe.
Edgecombe made his presence felt on his team early. In his first game, he set the franchise rookie scoring debut record for the 76ers as he scored 34 against the Boston Celtics. This was also the third most in a rookie debut in NBA history behind Wilt Chamberlain with 43 and Frank Celvy with 35.
Despite his hot start, it would be hard to name Edgecombe the ROTY because of the production the other two guys have had.
Here is where things get hard to predict.
Cooper Flagg, the number one overall draft selection, at age 19 had an immediate impact on his team recording a double-double in his first game with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Since then, Flagg has had impressive stints of games and great averages.
On the season Flagg averaged 21.0 points per game (PPG), 6.7 rebounds per game (RPG), 4.5 assist per game (APG) and shot at 46.8% from the field. Flagg is also now the only teenager to score 50+ in a game. Against the Orlando Magic is where Flagg made that happen–scoring 51 points in 138-127 loss. Directly following the 51 point game, Flagg recorded a 45 point game scoring almost 100 points in combined back to back games.
Flagg has had other impressive game such as a 49 point, 10 rebound double-double in late January against the Hornets.
Another focal point in Flagg’s argument is that he leads his team in scoring and steals.
The argument for Knueppel might be slightly stronger. Although Knueppel has lesser averages, he has still rewritten history in his own way.
Knueppel averaged 18.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 3.4 APG and 47.5% from the field. Knueppel might have had the greatest impact for his team out of all the rookies. Last year the hornets had one of the worst records in the NBA at 19-63. This season the record shot up to 44-38. Not to say that Knueppel is the entire reason, but he definitely was a big part.
This season Knueppel is the only rookie in history to lead the NBA in three point shots made with 273. Not only is this a franchise record but a rookie one as well. Knueppel did not lead his team in scoring but did lead his team in minutes. Knueppel also only missed one game out of the 82 game season.
While the two college teammates continue to make their presence known, here is who I believe will win ROTY.
It’s hard to deny history, which is what makes this race a hard one to choose from. Some would say Knueppel was put into a better situation which I would disagree. There is also a chance that the votes tie which has happened in the past, Elton Brand and Steve Francis in 1999-00, Grant Hill and Jason Kidd in 1994-95, Geoff Petrie and Dave Cowens in 1970-71, and Mel Hutchins and Bill Tosheff in 1951-52, but with modern weighted voting (1st, 2nd and 3rd) it would make the instance unlikely.
With all things considered my vote would go Knueppel, Flagg and Edgecombe in that order. The history and production that Knueppel is providing makes me lean more towards him as ROTY.
