If fans were still questioning the Rookie of the Year debate, Cooper Flagg finally ended it with a 49-point performance against his old college roommate and former Duke teammate, Kon Knueppel, on Thursday night at the American Airlines Center. Fans and media have gone back and forth about who the best rookie in the NBA is over the last few months, leading to constant discussion and debate, but Flagg proved that this shouldn't even be a conversation any longer.
Knueppel eventually got the win for the Charlotte Hornets in an electrifying environment, but Flagg sent a clear message in a one-and-one duel against his former teammate that he is indeed the Rookie of the Year.
Flagg has had games like this before, but nothing this spectacular. This 49-point outburst broke his own record of points in a game (42 against the Utah Jazz), which was a record for the most points scored in a game by an 18-year-old. It was at that moment that fans knew that the NBA would one day be in his hands, and he further solidified this by dominating the Hornets.
Cooper Flagg, not Kon Knueppel, is the real Rookie of the Year
He took advantage of Knueppel any time that he was guarding him as well, and if voters take anything away from this game, it's that Flagg is the more complete player and has future all-time great written all over him.
Knueppel has a great case to win Rookie of the Year, too. At one point, it looked like he might do it, but those talks were only temporary. Flagg finally topped the NBA rookie power rankings at the end of last month, as the league finally woke up and realized who the most impactful rookie in the league is. It seemed like the NBA was testing him against his former Duke teammate, but Flagg has been rolling ever since mid-December.
Although unfortunate, Kyrie Irving's injury has put Flagg in a good position to win Rookie of the Year. Not that he wouldn't have less of a chance to win the award anyway, but with Anthony Davis being injured more often than not, Flagg has been the lone member of the unofficial "Big Three" who won't play in many games this year, that is, if Anthony Davis is not traded.
The weakness in Flagg, if anything, has been his 3-point shooting. If that's the only thing that fans may be worried about, then Flagg is at a great pace for his NBA career. His attacking style has been dominant, along with his elite, versatile defense, thanks to his length. His 3-point percentage is at 28 percent, but again, he's a rookie. The only expectations for him are to see his raw talents.
He's already gotten nods of approval from NBA legends like LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, and Stephen Curry. Curry, out of all people, should know that Flagg's 3-point shooting woes won't continue much longer. It's not every day you get the invite to go to Curry's camp, and that's what Flagg did when he was playing in high school.
Flagg and even Mavs fans have a ton of respect for Knueppel, as he will be an easy second choice for Rookie of the Year. Both of the former Duke Blue Devils showed the league is in great hands, but this is Flagg's year. Both players have the opportunity to become multiple-time All-Stars once they hit the peak of their NBA careers, but it's safe to say it won't be long until that happens.