Cooper Flagg may have flipped the Rookie of the Year race back in his direction with a weekend scoring outburst, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. After posting 51 points on Friday – the highest total ever for an NBA teenager – the Mavericks forward followed it up with a 45-point performance and a near triple-double in Sunday night’s win over the Lakers.
Flagg and former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of Charlotte have been waging a battle for ROY honors throughout the season. MacMahon notes that Knueppel entered the weekend as a -300 favorite, according to DraftKings Sportsbook, with Flagg at +225. Flagg’s scoring spree now has him listed as the favorite at -250, with Knueppel at +180.
“I think it’s definitely some sort of statement,” said Flagg, who also had nine assists, eight rebounds, two steals and a block on Sunday. “But it just goes back to what I said: I’m confident in myself, and I know what I’m capable of. I’ll just let the rest of the stuff figure itself out.”
As MacMahon observes, Flagg has entered some elite company over the past three days. He owns three of the four 45-point games by a teenager in NBA history and is the first rookie to reach 45 points in two straight games since Walt Bellamy did it 64 years ago. Only six players have scored 45 points three times during their rookie seasons, with the others being Hall-of-Famers Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Earl Monroe and Lew Alcindor, who were all named Rookie of the Year.
Dallas coach Jason Kidd told reporters that Flagg has special qualities that go beyond his ability to score.
“I don’t know if he’s making a closing statement,” Kidd said. “I think he’s doing what he’s been doing all season. Being able to play different positions. Being able to be uncomfortable. He’s never complained and has delivered for us. Tonight, being able to do it on national television, it’s not easy. Especially coming off a 50-ball. He wants to win, and he helped the team win tonight.”
Both Flagg and Knueppel have strong Rookie of the Year cases heading into the final week of the regular season. Flagg, the No. 1 pick last June, leads all rookies in scoring at 20.8 PPG, is third in rebounding at 6.6 RPG and second in assists at 4.5 APG. Knueppel, the No. 4 selection, leads the league with 265 made three-pointers and broke the rookie record in that category. He’s averaging 18.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG and 3.4 APG and is playing on a 43-36 Hornets team that’s in contention for an automatic playoff spot, while the Mavs are winding down their season at 25-53.
Lakers star LeBron James was impressed by Flagg on Sunday and made a comparison to his own rookie season in Cleveland 22 years ago, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic.
“Kidd early on got a little scrutinized because they started him at point guard at times, and I thought that was unfair,” James said. “I think it’s great to put the ball in somebody’s hands so they can just go through the rough patches. And when you go through the rough patches, it allows you to grow at a rate faster than other players. That’s what (Cavaliers coach) Paul Silas, rest his soul, did for me. My rookie year, I basically started at point guard early on. He allowed me to make mistakes and make mistakes and make mistakes and play against tough defenses and stuff like that. So, I see similarities in that.”
So Cooper Flagg is doing things last done by Michael Jordan, Wilt and AI but Kon is ROY because…he can make 3s?
Be fr people, this isnt a race.
Nipple is impacting in the wins column.
Keep your nipple impact comments to yourself bro, kids read this stuff.
But Cooper’s team is terrible and they’re only playing for him to win ROY in all honesty; it’s Kon easily imo but I dont get to vote so what do I know lol; heeck of a comeback by Flagg though so a split might be in order in which case they’d be the 3rd and 4th rookie blue devils in nba history to get a tied ROY award joining Elton Brand and Grant Hill
Knueppel has been playing solid efficient winning smart basketball all season. To me, that’s a little more impressive than what Flagg has done.
And let’s not pretend that Charlotte is an exemplary franchise, lol. His situation, especially early in the season, when the rest of the team was trash, was no better than what Flagg has found himself in. But one could argue that it was Knueppel who catalyzed his team’s surge.
Also, it’s been about 15 years since I stopped caring about the stuff like: “the first guy in the modern era to score x in 5 games in a row” or “the only one of 3 players to do x before age 21. Other two MJ and Wilt”
That doesn’t matter. What matters is the whole picture. I think that Knueppel had a better season. He’s my ROY.
“That doesn’t matter.”
Actually, the entire topic doesn’t matter. Who cares? Just ask Ben Simmons, Malcolm Brogdan, Michael Carter-Williams Mike Miller and Tyreke Evans.
Really —- stop it.
He did make a case for it. I thought it was close. Had Kon cause he makes them a winner. Still close to me. Cooper probably ahead now.
Cooper plays 3 more mins a game. Shoots 4 more shots a game. And is avg 21.1 pts to Kons 18.7.
Hornets 43–36 ……. Mavs — 25–53.
Not just a shooter. A winner !!
Cooper and Kon deserve to tie for ROY.
“Both Flagg and Knueppel have strong MVP cases heading into the final week of the regular season.”
Somehow, I don’t think they do :)
Kon by bug margin. And if you think tank game big numbers matters, put Riley too in the mix
How in the world did Duke not win in the Final Four 2 yrs ago??
1 game sample size
Kon 8.1 WS; Flagg 3.8 WS
Kon has 1 game with a game score over 30, a 31.1
Cooper has 6 games with a game score over 30, two of which are 40+, 44.2 is his gamescore high
Cooper has no help, he is #1 on his team, which is more important
Kon literally isn’t even #1 in FTAs on his team, Lamelo is the #1 scoring option on his team, although Kon has more buckets in less attempts than Lamelo
Both have had INCREDIBLE seasons from a 19 and 20 year old. It really should be a tie.
Couple of things.
The mavericks are an awful team. The league has a history of mediocre players putting up huge numbers on bad teams.
Flagg is also one of the worst 3-point shooters in history. He’s really really bad. In a league that requires spacing and shooting, this is a huge hole.
When the person you’re being judges against is one of the best 3 point shooters in the league, puts up numbers very similar to Flagg, and is playing on a winning team, thy player deserves the award.
Lol. Coop is shooting 30% from 3. Not great, but nowhere near “one of the worst 3-pointer shooters in league history”. That’s a ridiculous statement. He’s also a significantly better defender, rebounder and passer. He’s deserving of RoY and will be competing for MVP within 3 years.
Coop was always the front runner, now… is the unstoppable runaway freight train!
Empty stats at the end of the season, playing PG then playing for a team that gave up by trading Anthony Davis compared to Kon who has almost by himself turned his team into a winner in his rookie season, Kon has been consistent and surprising. Kon deserves it to me
Flagg is from where I am from, I can relate, he has good potential and more than Kon, some really good games as a 18 year old but Kon has turned a loser for a long time into a winner along with Ryan and others. Even with Miles Bridges in the locker room
Flagg was supposed to start playing with a winning team into what they are now compared to Kon who was considered not to start on a bad team to starting and changing the teams aspects and playoffs hopefully