Former NBA champion Jeff Teague has picked Kon Knueppel over Cooper Flagg as his Rookie of the Year.
The 2025–26 NBA season has been full of standout rookies, but the spotlight has largely been on Duke University teammates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
Charlotte Hornets / Schedule
While Flagg has drawn plenty of attention for his all-around game with the Dallas Mavericks, former NBA champion Jeff Teague believes Charlotte Hornets youngster deserves the edge for Rookie of the Year.
On his Club 520 show, Teague explained why he is favoring Knueppel over Flagg.
"I think Cooper Flagg's having a good rookie year, a phenomenal rookie year actually, but it comes with a lot of opportunity," he said. "The reason I think Kon Knueppel's year is better is because he's with some gunners, and he's not supposed to be doing what he's doing."
Credit AP - Scanpix
Teague highlighted that Knueppel faces tougher conditions in Charlotte, playing meaningful games in a competitive playoff race, while Flagg's Mavericks are comfortably out of contention.
While Teague has picked Knueppel, the debate is far from settled. Both players are clearly the top rookies this season, with Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe not close to challenging their impact.
Thank you for reading us! We have even more content for you.
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.