Injuries and a surging rival threaten Cooper Flagg's ROY path. Can the Mavericks' phenom overcome adversity and secure the award?
The Dallas Mavericks selected Duke phenom Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he has been exactly as good as advertised. But as of late, some injuries have slowed him down right after he was starting to get hot.
And it may put his chances of winning the Rookie of the Year trophy in jeopardy.
In a recent article by Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley, he outlines some bold predictions that he has for the rest of the NBA season. One thing he thinks could happen by the end of the season is that Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel will overtake his former college roommate and win the hardware.
"Cooper Flagg's modest volume advantages just aren't enough to overshadow Knueppel's far superior efficiency and team success," Buckley writes. "And that's without even having to account for the way the foot injury that just cost Flagg a month might impact him (or limit his availability) going forward."
Knueppel has quietly put together one of the most efficient rookie seasons in recent NBA history. The Hornets wing overtook Sacramento Kings power forward Keegan Murray for the rookie record for three-pointers made, and he has done so while shooting an insane 44 percent from beyond the arc.
Another variable is availability. Flagg has dealt with a foot injury that cost him several games, which could impact both his rhythm and overall totals during the final stretch of the season. If Knueppel continues playing heavy minutes while maintaining elite shooting numbers, voters may lean toward the player with the stronger late-season momentum.
Still, even if Knueppel ultimately takes home the Rookie of the Year award, it does little to diminish Flagg’s long-term outlook in Dallas. The Mavericks rookie has already shown flashes of superstar potential and remains one of the league’s most promising young players.
In reality, the debate between Flagg and Knueppel is less about one player being better than the other and more about how impressive both rookies have been.
And for Mavericks fans, the most important takeaway is clear: Dallas has a franchise cornerstone in Flagg — regardless of who ends up holding the trophy.