_We’ve reached the midpoint of an NBA season that has been filled with surprises — Detroit and Boston lead the East, San Antonio is second in the West — and also far too many injuries to stars. It’s also given us jaw-dropping moments, and not just the ones Victor Wembanyama seems to deliver us on a nightly basis._
_The midpoint also means it’s time to take stock of the NBA postseason awards. All week long, I will make my picks for some of the NBA’s top awards at this point in the season, plus get betting angles from NBC Sports experts. Today: Rookie of the Year._
NBA Rookie of the Year: Kon Knueppel
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2\. Cooper Flagg
3\. VJ Edgecombe
Analysis of Rookie of the Year race
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Any analysis has to start here: This is a deep, talented and very entertaining rookie class.
At the top of it are two former Duke teammates who, to me, are a coin flip for Rookie of the Year at this point in Knueppel and Flagg. Neither is playing like a rookie. Their counting stats are relatively even — Knueppel is averaging 19 points per game, Flagg 18.8; Flagg is grabbing one more rebound and dishing out 0.6 assists more a game. Both are playing heavy minutes, and both have been impressive playmakers for rookies asked to carry a lot of their team’s offense. Flagg has been the better defender, but Knueppel has held his own.
What separated them for me was that Knueppel has just been more efficient to this point — he’s shooting better (particularly from 3) and putting up those numbers on fewer touches and lower usage. By the end of the season, I may well flip these two with my vote, but if the season ended today, I would vote Knueppel.
It’s also very close in my mind for the No. 3 spot in this ranking, with the 76ers’ VJ Edgecombe getting the nod but Memphis’ Cedric Coward (maybe the most overlooked player in this class) right on his heels. If I were voting for the All-Rookie first team this week, those two would be in it with Derik Queen from New Orleans getting the other spot (and he could crack the top three for this award by the end of the season.
Betting ROY Race
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_We reached out to the NBC Sports betting experts for their thoughts on the Rookie of the Year race and how they might bet it._
### Jay Coucher, NBC Sports Lead Betting Analyst
Cooper Flagg is the rightful clear favorite, but Kon Knueppel’s historic efficiency for a rookie, combined with the Hornets being a surprisingly frisky top 10 offense, should make the odds slightly tighter than they are currently.
### Drew Dinsick, NBC Sports Betting Analyst
The clear favorite is Flagg but his case is far from secure as the Mavs face the 3rd toughest remaining schedule and the Anthony Davis injury makes their likelihood of tanking for draft position much higher. If the Mavs shut down Flagg with meaningful time remaining this season to preserve him for future years, it would not be entirely surprising. The second choice, Kon Knueppel (+600), has the opposite paradigm with the potential of getting wind in his sails. The Hornets have been playing very well of late and are likely in the mix for a play-in spot, if not a seat at the table in the postseason. Kon is effectively tied with Cooper right now in terms of raw production and it would again be unsurprising to see the voters reward his efforts if the Hornets continue to win games and threaten to qualify 8th in the weak East making it a solid bet at price.
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