The NBA’s Rookie of the Year race seems like a battle between two players right now; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets wing Kon Knueppel. While the race is probably close right now especially when it comes to overall production, Golden State Warriors’ star Draymond Green believes there is one situation where Knueppel can separate himself from Flagg.
During a recent episode of Green’s podcast, ‘The Draymond Green show,’ the Warriors vet laid out a scenario in which Kon Knueppel leads the Hornets to the play-in, and how that would elevate him in the ROY race over Flagg.
“I think the Rookie of the Year comes down to these two guys. I think with the way Kon is playing and how vital he’s been. The other night, Cooper Flagg had 49 on 29 [shots]. Kon Knueppel had 34 on 8-of-12 from three,” Green said. “The way he’s playing, and that team getting to the play-in game, that has to solidify Kon as Rookie of the Year.”
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“I think this battle is going down to the wire. It’s being fought over these last 30 games to end the season,” Green continued. “I still stand by my prediction from before, I still think Kon comes home with it, but it was good to see that battle between two young college teammates. . .to see them battle like that in the NBA in their rookie year, definitely a sign of things to come for those two guys as they move forward in their careers.”
The former Duke teammates squared off against each other last Thursday, with Knueppel’s Hornets edging out Flagg’s Mavericks, 123-121. Flagg dropped a career-high 49 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot. Knueppel had 34 points, four rebounds, three assists and one steal.
As of right now, Flagg leads all rookies in scoring at 19.8 points. Knueppel is right behind him at 18.8. To Green’s point, the Hornets are one and half games back of the No. 10 spot in the Eastern Conference, and play-in berth having won six straight games. The Mavericks have lost four consecutive games and are slipping further from a play-in spot.