Con Knueppel and Cooper Flagg have been two of the best rookies in their class, and have made great strides in their games since their days at Duke. But the bond the two of them have goes beyond basketball, with the Charlotte Hornets guard revealing a very interesting thing about his friendship with the Dallas Mavericks forward.
In an appearance on The Ryan Russillo Podcast, the Hornets rookie highlighted why basketball is rarely mentioned whenever he meets up with his former Duke teammates.
"When we talk it's less about basketball and more about where you're living? How often does your family come over? How are you? You know, those types of things. Which is nice and sustainable," Knueppel shared.
In friendship, shop talk is part of catching up. But for Knueppel, he knows his friendship with Flagg isn't just focused on their livelihood. They are lifelong friends who have been connected to each other since their college days, and the Hornets guard is very happy that he has such a friendship with Flagg.
Hornets' Kon Knueppel and Mavericks' Cooper Flagg compete for rookie supremacy
At this point, Knueppel looks to be the front-runner for the 2026 Rookie of the Year award. For starters, he has been consistent and healthy for the Hornets for most of the season. Furthermore, the Hornets are playing winning basketball; Although they've fallen below .500 once again, the fact that they've been in the playoff picture to begin with is a big win.
Meanwhile, Flagg has faced growing pains, and has missed a lot of playing time due to injuries. The Mavericks being a lottery team may also be at a disadvantage in terms of winning the Rookie of the Year award.
Whatever the case, this much is true: Knueppel and Flagg know there are things bigger than basketball, and their friendship is one of them.
