It appears that the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year battle is a race between the two horses of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Nueppel.
But for former NBA guard Jeff Teague, it's already been decided.
Watching Knuppel highlight highlights in the Hornets' 131-99 win against the Chicago Bulls on the road on Tuesday, Teague said that "if he [Knueppel] Not Rookie of the Year, he was robbed. They [are] actually winning the game, that [is] Average 20 marks.”
In that game against the Bulls, Knueppel scored 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field with three 3-pointers, while hitting all four of his attempts from the free-throw line in 23 minutes of action.
Knueppel has certainly attracted more attention among rookies with his play recently, and especially with Flagg sidelined with a foot injury that has kept him from playing since the NBA All-Star break.
Cooper Flagg himself hasn't been too shaky in his first season in the league, as the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been putting up big numbers for the Mavericks when healthy. However, his former Duke Blue Devils teammates are giving him a run for his money in the ROY race.
In fact, Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in 2025, leads all newcomers entering Wednesday with 2.4 VORP (value over replacement player), while Flagg is second with 1.4.
Knueppel also leads all first-year players in points and win shares. And for what it's worth, he's 1-0 against Flagg this season, as the Hornets beat Dallas on Jan. 29, in a game best remembered for an incredible duel between the two former Duke teammates, in which Knueppel scored 34 points and Cooper Flagg added 49.
Still, there's plenty of basketball left to play this season to make this compelling Rookie of the Year race even more interesting.
