Headlines

Kon Knueppel

Cooper Flagg Looks Ahead As He Accepts Rookie Of The Year Award

By | at April 29, 2026 9:44 pm

Cooper Flagg said he’s typically gotten some advance notice when he’s won major awards in the past, but he had no idea what the results were going to be as he watched the Rookie of the Year announcement on Monday, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. Flagg prevailed in a tight race, giving him the trophy that most observers expected him to win ever since he was the No. 1 pick in the draft last June.

“It was probably one of the first times I won an award and I had to find out with everyone else,” he said. “That was pretty cool.”

The Mavericks held a celebration on Wednesday attended by roughly 100 team employees as Flagg accepted the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. Among those attending were teammates Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, Dereck Lively II, Brandon Williams and Caleb Martin.

“Coming into this year, we all had different expectations in how we thought the year would go,” Flagg said. “But all of that is in the past. I think it’s time to move forward. Continue to grow, continue to get better and have a high outlook on how next year can go. We are just going to put in the work all summer long. I think we’re all excited for it.”

Flagg received 56 first-place votes and edged former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in the second-closest Rookie of the Year race since the current voting format was adopted for the 2002/03 season. Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 70 games and set a single-game scoring record for a teenager by reaching 51 points against Orlando earlier this month.

Flagg told reporters that he and Knueppel stayed in communication throughout the season.

“Me and Kon, we talked all year long,” Flagg said. “We never talked about the Rookie of the Year or what people were saying about it or anything like that. It was more just support for one another and staying in contact. He’s someone who will be one of my best friends for the rest of my life.”

Flagg encountered a few challenges during his rookie season, including coach Jason Kidd‘s decision to have him play point guard for the first time in his life. Kidd, who was also at Wednesday’s event, said Flagg is always willing to do whatever is asked of him.

“He loves competition,” Kidd said. “He loves both ends. He’s not one about just offense. He’s about playing the game of basketball. You have to play defense. Taking on the No. 1 defensive player every night … to be able to do what he did is remarkable. Well-deserved award. I think it just sets the tone for his career.”

The Mavs tied for 11th in the West at 26-56, giving Flagg the first extended losing experience of his life. He’s determined to change that as quickly as he can and lead the franchise back to playoff contention.

He’s already looking forward to next season and addressed his plans to improve his game over the summer, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). He hopes to add to his offensive repertoire, including creating more opportunities with his dribble.

“I’m going to work on a lot of different things. There’s always room to improve,” Flagg said. “I think there’s a lot of growth I can make offensively, off the dribble, and making reads. I’m excited to get in the gym, especially with teammates, and keep building.”

11 comments Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg Named NBA Rookie Of The Year

By | at April 27, 2026 6:18 pm

Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has been named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for the 2025/26 season, the league announced today (Twitter link).

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft and the youngest player in the league, Flagg led all qualified rookies with 21.0 points per game while also contributing 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 33.5 minutes per night across 70 contests (all starts). According to the NBA (Twitter link), Flagg and Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan are the only rookies since 1973 to lead their respective teams in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals.

Flagg is the third player in Mavericks history to be named Rookie of the Year, joining Luka Doncic (2019) and his current head coach Jason Kidd (1995), per the team (Twitter link). Flagg, Jordan, and Doncic are the only three players in the past 45 years to average at least 20 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game as rookies.

Flagg narrowly beat out his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after leading the NBA in total three-pointers (273). The Hornets swingman, drafted fourth overall last June, trailed Flagg in points (18.5), rebounds (5.3), and assists (3.4) per game, but scored his points more efficiently, shooting 47.5% from the floor, 42.5% on three-pointers, and 86.3% from the free throw line. Flagg’s shooting line was .468/.295/.827.

There was a sense that Knueppel’s historic shooting numbers and the Hornets’ relative team success might give him the edge. Charlotte finished 18 games ahead of Dallas in the NBA’s regular season standings, while Knueppel became the first rookie to ever lead the league in three-pointers.

However, Flagg was rewarded for his all-around contributions and the way he handled becoming the focal point of the Mavs’ offense with Anthony Davis traded and Kyrie Irving sidelined, gaining the upper hand with a strong finish to the season. From March 21 onward, Flagg averaged 25.5 PPG on 46.1% shooting and had separate games of 51 and 45 points, while Knueppel averaged 14.1 PPG on 39.1% shooting.

Flagg received 56 of 100 potential first-place votes and 412 total voting points, with Knueppel earning the other 44 first-place votes and 386 points (Twitter link). Since the current Rookie of the Year voting format was implemented in 2002/03, only the 15-point gap in ’21/22 – when Scottie Barnes edged out Evan Mobley – was smaller than this year’s 26-point margin.

Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe was nearly the unanimous third-place pick, receiving 93 third-place votes to go along with a single second-place vote. Spurs guard Dylan Harper (five third-place votes) and Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (one third-place vote) were the only other players to appear on at least one Rookie of the Year ballot.

27 comments 2026 NBA Awards Charlotte Hornets Dallas Mavericks Memphis Grizzlies Newsstand Philadelphia 76ers San Antonio Spurs

NBA Announces Finalists For 2025/26 Awards

By | at April 19, 2026 6:54 pm

The NBA has announced the finalists for this season’s major awards, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Clutch Player of the Year.

The MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year finalists were announced at halftime of the NBC broadcast of Game 1 between the Pistons and Magic, while the league’s official account tweeted the rest.

Most Valuable Player

The leaders of the three top teams in the Western Conference all have strong arguments for MVP. Jokic became the first player to lead the league in rebounds and assists per game while also averaging 27.7 points. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31.1 PPG and led the Thunder to the league’s best record despite the fact that multiple starters missed substantial time this season. Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a league-best 3.1 blocks per game while emerging as a lock for Defensive Player of the Year.

Rookie of the Year

This race is expected to come down to the former Duke teammates. Knueppel played a key role for a resurgent Hornets squad, becoming the first rookie to lead the league in made three-pointers while averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 81 appearances. Flagg’s Mavs finished well out of the postseason picture, but he showed massive star upside, averaging 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.5 APG while scoring at least 42 points in four separate games. Edgecombe averaged 35.0 minutes per game over 75 contests, posting a well-rounded 16.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 4.2 APG.

Coach of the Year

  • Joe Mazzulla (Celtics)
  • J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
  • Mitch Johnson (Spurs)

Mazzulla and Bickerstaff each led massively overperforming teams that managed to dominate the Eastern Conference despite having players in and out of the lineup all year. Johnson helped navigate a tricky guard rotation and spacing issues as the Spurs posted the second-best record in the league.

Defensive Player of the Year

Wembanyama is the overwhelming favorite to win this award, ranking first in total blocks, blocks per game, defensive rating, and defensive rebounding percentage this season. Holmgren was second in blocks per game for the league’s top defense, while Thompson proved himself to be arguably the best perimeter defender in the league with his combination of off-ball defensive play-making and point-of-attack dominance.

Most Improved Player

Both Avdija and Duren were first-time All-Stars this season, while Alexander-Walker earned a starting spot on his new team and raised his scoring from 9.4 points per game last season to 20.8 PPG this season on .459/.399/.902 shooting splits, all career high percentages.

Sixth Man of the Year

Hardaway cracked 40% from three this season for the first time in his career while shooting 6.9 attempts in his 26.6 minutes per game. Most importantly for the injury-plagued Nuggets, he played 80 games, including six starts, and was the team’s fifth-highest scorer. Jaquez had an impressively well-rounded contribution off the bench, posting career-highs of 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Johnson was a crucial scoring hub for the Spurs bench units while adding offensive pop when the starters struggled to score.

Clutch Player of the Year

Gilgeous-Alexander and Edwards ranked first and second, respectively, in clutch scoring per game, while Murray was second in total clutch points behind the Thunder star and shot the most efficiently from three of the guards.

Brett Siegel of Clutch Points notes (via Twitter) that the awards will be announced in the coming days and weeks, starting with Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, April 20.

18 comments 2026 NBA Awards Atlanta Hawks Boston Celtics Charlotte Hornets Dallas Mavericks Denver Nuggets Detroit Pistons Miami Heat Minnesota Timberwolves Newsstand Oklahoma City Thunder Orlando Magic Philadelphia 76ers Portland Trail Blazers San Antonio Spurs

Hornets Notes: Lee, Physicality, LaMelo, Knueppel, Offseason

By | at April 19, 2026 10:15 am

There were several positive developments in 2025/26 for the Hornets, who improved from 19 to 44 wins and had the best net rating in the NBA from the start of January through the end of the regular season.

Still, as Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer writes, the team extended its playoff drought to a league-worst 10 straight years as a result of Friday’s drubbing at Orlando. Head coach Charles Lee said the Hornets need to learn from the loss and use it as motivation for the future.

“You’re one step away from being in the playoffs, so I don’t want to discredit that,” Lee said, “but this has got to hurt a little bit. And you’ve got to think about this offseason. When you’re in the weight room, when you’re on the court. What am I going to do to go that extra mile to get even better, because we had a ton of growth this year.

“I don’t want those guys to lose sight of the positives that they did do. I think that the resilience of the team, the competitiveness, the togetherness continue to grow. And we earned an opportunity to be right there. So, ton of good, but that was not our best effort.”

Lee referred to ’25/26 as a “stepping stone” for the Hornets, Boone adds.

“Let this fuel you,” Lee said. “But also don’t take for granted the fact that you guys earned a ton of respect from everyone throughout the league with how hard you played, how well you played. And I think that they also helped build another stepping stone for this organization.”

Here’s more from Charlotte:

  • “Physicality” was a constant theme throughout the team’s exit interviews on Saturday after the Hornets were pushed around by the Magic, according to Boone. Both Lee and LaMelo Ball said getting stronger will be an area of emphasis for the former All-Star point guard. “Being able to handle physicality,” Lee said. “I think that’s just a global theme for our team. I have to figure out how to help them in that regard, but then we also have to figure out how do we have the physical toughness? Which is a lot of weight room. And then I think some of it is also just the mental execution of how to best combat it. What play do we need to run? How fast do we need to play? What are some of the basketball situations? So a lot of that will follow Melo, because he’s one of our primary ball-handlers. But then it gets spread around to the whole team, too.”
  • Kon Knueppel played exceptionally well for most of ’25/26 after being selected fourth overall in last year’s draft, but he struggled down the stretch, especially in the team’s two play-in games, Boone observes. The Rookie of the Year candidate didn’t make any excuses for his late-season slump. “Yeah, no excuses,” said Knueppel, who appeared in 83 of Charlotte’s 84 games. “I just didn’t make a lot of shots. I shot really well throughout the year and you just got to the point in the last week of the season, the last two weeks of the season, just didn’t shoot it great. Sometimes that’s how it rolls. Obviously, there are some big games and you want to be able to shoot it well and you want to have your best stuff. I just didn’t have it. So, it’s frustrating. It is a long season. It’s my first time doing it, so some of that I think is a learning experience, just how to keep yourself fresh because these seasons are long. I haven’t had any off time since last college season, and so I’m looking forward to some rest. But it’ll be something I think about for sure, going forward, just one of the best ways to manage that come out ready to go next year.” Lee said he wants to see the former Duke wing become a more vocal leader, and Knueppel agreed that it was “definitely an area of improvement.”
  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks previews the Hornets’ offseason, writing that re-signing Coby White and adding another prospect to their young core with their lottery pick will be top priorities. Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges will all be extension-eligible this summer, Marks notes.
17 comments Charlotte Hornets

Southeast Notes: Ball, Heat, Knueppel, Magic, Wizards

By | at April 15, 2026 5:02 pm

The NBA is reviewing LaMelo Ball‘s trip of Bam Adebayo, which resulted in the Heat big man suffering a lower back injury and exiting Tuesday’s play-in game early, reports Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime (Twitter link). A ruling is expected before Friday, Haynes adds.

As we detailed on Tuesday night, after having his shot blocked by Heat wing Simone Fontecchio, Ball fell to the court and grabbed Adebayo’s foot, bringing him to the floor as he grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Fontecchio (video link via NBA.com). Ball wasn’t called for any sort of foul by the game officials, who missed the trip in real time, but Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expressed his discontent after the game, referring to it as a “dangerous play” by the Hornets guard.

Crew chief Zach Zarba confirmed to a pool reporter after the game that the league has the ability to review the play after the fact, which is exactly what the NBA will do. ESPN’s Shams Charania said during an NBA Today appearance (Twitter video link) that league officials have already reached out both teams and intend to interview Ball. For his part, the Hornets star apologized after the game, explaining, “I got hit in the head (on the play) and didn’t really know where I was,” per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

It seems likely that the NBA will ultimately decide to assess Ball with a flagrant foul 1 or flagrant foul 2, but there’s doubt that he’ll be suspended for Friday’s do-or-die play-in game against the loser of Wednesday’s Sixers/Magic matchup, according to Charania.

Here are a few more items of interest from across the Southeast:

  • ESPN’s Bobby Marks and The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson preview the Heat‘s upcoming offseason, noting that the team’s decision on unrestricted free agent Norman Powell will be a major factor in what direction the summer goes. Jackson believes it’s a “toss-up” whether Powell returns, pointing out that the veteran guard was less durable and less productive in the second half, reducing the odds of Miami offering him a lucrative long-term contract.
  • In a separate story for The Miami Herald, Jackson says he hopes Tuesday’s play-in loss is a wake-up call for Heat management and that team president Pat Riley is prepared to admit that – regardless of injury luck – this roster isn’t good enough to contend. Riley and the front office need to consider new ideas, Jackson writes, including perhaps being more open to selling high on Miami’s own players or buying low on stars whose value has declined.
  • Media members who vote on end-of-season awards have yet to receive their ballots as the NBA weighs “extraordinary circumstances” applications, prompting Chris Mannix of SI.com to wonder if Kon Knueppel‘s 2-of-12 night on Tuesday might hurt the Hornets sharpshooter’s Rookie of the Year chances, even though voters are only supposed to consider regular season performances.
  • Magic forward Jett Howard, out since April 3 with a left ankle sprain, has been upgraded to available for Wednesday’s play-in game vs. Philadelphia, while Jonathan Isaac (left knee sprain) is still considered questionable, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Isaac last suited up on March 12 and seems unlikely to see much – if any – action even if he’s active.
  • Keith Smith of Spotrac examines several of the decisions facing the Wizards this offseason, including how to handle Trae Young‘s contract situation and whether to extend Anthony Davis.
12 comments Charlotte Hornets Miami Heat Orlando Magic Washington Wizards

Southeast Notes: Knueppel, W. Carter, Keefe, Sarr

By | at April 10, 2026 8:15 pm

Several members of the Hornets — including head coach Charles Lee, executive vice president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson, and Brandon Miller — recently explained why they think Kon Knueppel deserves to be named Rookie of the Year, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

“I understand why the race is tight,” Lee said. “The rookie class this year has been pretty impressive. [Cooper] Flagg is one of the guys that’s up there, and I think that he’s shown some good moments. But I said it about a month ago, to me it’s not even close. I still feel that way.

“I think that this period of time has shown it even more, when you have a guy that’s been as productive as Kon has been, when he’s been as consistent as he is, and as efficient as he’s been on a playoff-caliber team. I think that’s pretty impressive.

“There’s things that show historically what he’s been able to do as a rookie,” Lee continued. “but then there’s even some stats if you dive even deeper into the advanced stats and stuff, he’s just one of the best players in the NBA — not even just as a rookie.

“So, I can go on and on, but I think that he has definitely made his case just from a production, consistency and efficiency perspective, and also impacting winning games.”

We have more from around the Southeast:

  • Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. broke his nose in Monday’s loss to Detroit and is wearing a protective mask, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Entering Friday, Carter had already appeared in 76 games this season, eclipsing last year’s career high of 68. “It was something that’s been a goal of mine for the past two or three years,” he said. “So for it to actually come to life and me to able to be available for these games, it means a lot. But now it’s about being a little bit more consistent. I’ve had stretches throughout this year where I haven’t been playing my best basketball whether that’s from tiredness, injury or whatever. It’s just about being better while I’m out there.”
  • Determining the future of head coach Brian Keefe will be the first order of business for the Wizards this offseason, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. While Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger spoke highly of the job Keefe has done the past two seasons, there has been a sense around the league that it might be difficult for Keefe to transition from coaching a tanking team to a group trying to be more competitive in 2026/27, Robbins notes.
  • Wizards big man Alex Sarr is “unlikely” to play in Washington’s season finale on Sunday, Keefe said earlier this week (story via The Associated Press). The French center, who was selected second overall in the 2024 draft, will end up missing the final nine games of his season season due to a left toe injury.
4 comments Charlotte Hornets Orlando Magic Washington Wizards

And-Ones: NBA Awards Picks, G League Awards

By | at April 9, 2026 7:47 pm

Reigning Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander claims two awards on the unofficial ballot of Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports: MVP and Clutch Player of the Year.

To be clear, Devine does have an official vote for year-end awards, but those ballots aren’t sent out until the regular season concludes on April 12. Devine also notes that he may be forced to change some of his picks, depending on which players are eligible.

Victor Wembanyama, for example, needs to play at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s remaining two games to be eligible for awards consideration. The French big man is Devine’s choice for Defensive Player of the Year and is his runner-up for MVP, ahead of Nikola Jokic.

Kon Knueppel (Rookie of the Year) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Most Improved Player) are a couple of Devine’s other awards picks.

Here are a few more awards-related stories and announcements:

0 comments Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles Lakers NBA G League Toronto Raptors

Cooper Flagg Makes ‘Statement’ In Rookie Of The Year Race

By | at April 6, 2026 8:59 am

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.”

18 comments Charlotte Hornets Dallas Mavericks

Poll: Who Should Be NBA Rookie Of The Year?

By | at April 4, 2026 10:59 am

The Mavericks fell to 24-53 with a loss to Orlando on Friday night, but it was another huge night for No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, who became the youngest player – and the first teenager – in NBA history to score at least 50 points in a game, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

Flagg set a new career high by racking up 51 points on 19-of-30 shooting. The performance increased his full-season scoring average to 20.8 points per game, which ranks first among rookies. Among qualified rookies, he also ranks third in rebounds (6.6), second in assists (4.5), second in steals (1.2), and second in blocks (0.9) per game.

The 19-year-old is on track to become just the fourth rookie since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 to average at least 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists per game, notes MacMahon. The other three are Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Luka Doncic.

“He should be Rookie of the Year. It’s unbelievable,” head coach Jason Kidd said of Flagg. “The country is not watching the same thing that we get to watch on a daily basis. The things that he’s done, he’s in rare air. He’s with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year — and as a teenager.”

However, Flagg isn’t the current frontrunner for Rookie of the Year recognition. That honor belongs to his former college teammate Kon Knueppel, who earned 80 of 100 first-place votes in a Rookie of the Year straw poll recently conducted by Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Flagg received the other 20 first-place votes).

Knueppel, who has played 12 more games and 227 more total minutes than his former Duke co-star, has averaged 18.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per contest as a rookie for the Hornets.

Two major factors have given Knueppel the edge over Flagg in the eyes of many voters. For one, he’s having the best shooting season of any rookie in NBA history. The fourth overall picks leads the NBA with 264 made three-pointers and is knocking down 43.1% of his attempts, which also puts him among the league leaders in three-point percentage. Flagg isn’t having a bad shooting season – he has made 51.8% of his two-pointers – but he has converted just 29.3% of his shots from beyond the arc.

Additionally, while the Hornets are hardly a juggernaut, the emergence of the young squad has been one of the most fun NBA stories of the last few months. Charlotte hasn’t made the playoffs since 2016 and got off to an 11-23 start this season, but has since improved its record to 42-36. The team, which currently holds the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, has a real chance to end its postseason drought, and Knueppel has played a crucial role in that turnaround.

Flagg’s boosters would argue that it’s not his fault the banged-up Mavs essentially entered tank mode midway through the season and that he doesn’t have the same sort of supporting cast Knueppel does in Charlotte, where LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges are also having big years.

There’s even a recent precedent for a star rookie on a bad team winning Rookie of the Year over a fellow standout who had an important role on a playoff team — Victor Wembanyama of the 22-60 Spurs beat out Chet Holmgren of the 57-25 Spurs in 2024. But Wembanyama, who averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game while leading the league in blocked shots, was even better two years ago than Flagg has been this season.

We want to know what you think. With apologies to VJ Edgecombe and a few other notable members of 2025’s draft class, Rookie of the Year has become a two-man race this season. So should Flagg or Knueppel win the award?

Vote in our poll and head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Who should be this season's NBA Rookie of the Year?

  • Cooper Flagg (Mavericks) 50% (497)
  • Kon Knueppel (Hornets) 50% (490)

Total votes: 987

51 comments Charlotte Hornets Dallas Mavericks Hoops Rumors Originals Hoops Rumors Polls

Hornets Notes: Knueppel, Miller, White, Williams

By | at April 3, 2026 10:59 am

Kon Knueppel continued his remarkable rookie year Thursday night by setting the Hornets‘ franchise record for most three-pointers in a season, writes Steve Reed of The Associated Press. Knueppel hit four shots from beyond the arc in a win over Phoenix, giving him a league-leading 261 and surpassing Kemba Walker‘s total of 260 during the 2018/19 season.

“I think maybe I’ve surpassed my expectations for myself a little bit,” Knueppel said.

As Reed relates, Knueppel didn’t feel like he had a great offseason after being selected with the No. 4 pick and wasn’t sure what his role would be as he arrived in training camp. That changed quickly as he played his way into the opening night starting lineup and has remained there throughout the season.

Knueppel credited Charlotte fans with inspiring him through their response as he neared the record on Thursday.

“You definitely feel it,” he said. “It makes the ones that go in real, real sweet, but it is also like pretty reassuring as a shooter when the ones you miss the crowd (lets out) an audible like ‘ooooh.’ That’s reassuring as a shooter that fans believe in that every shot you take is going in.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

  • Brandon Miller also set a team record by making a three-pointer in his 54th consecutive game, eclipsing the mark set by LaMelo Ball, Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer notes in a subscriber-only story. Coach Charles Lee said Miller has evolved into more than a scorer in his third NBA season, which is an important part of the Hornets’ success. “As the whole team really started to take a jump, Brandon became more vocal about wanting to become a two-way player,” Lee said. “I thought that his actions backed it up even more as we started putting him on a lot of the primary scorers while also playing through him offensively, and he’s giving it to us at both ends. His ability to play long stretches during the game is helping us. So I’ve been really impressed with helping elevate our team to another level.”
  • The February trade for Coby White continues to pay dividends as he scored 19 points off the bench and helped Charlotte rally in the second quarter after Phoenix built an early lead, Boone states in the same piece. The Hornets will face a decision this summer on White, who is on an expiring $12.9MM contract. “It’s been a great luxury to have,” Lee said. “Coby’s done a really good job of finding a way to get up to speed quickly and make an impact on both ends of the floor. I see him get more and more into a rhythm every game he has. The fact that I can use him in a lot of different ways is really, really good.”
  • Thursday brought a return to Charlotte for Suns center Mark Williams, who was back on the court after missing 15 games with a left foot stress reaction, Boone adds. Williams, who spent the first three seasons of his career with the Hornets, received a tribute video before he checked into the game midway through the first quarter. “It was cool,” he said. “I got some mixed emotions, but yeah it’s good to be back. Obviously, this is where I was drafted, where my career started, the organization that took a chance on me. So, mixed emotions really though for sure. As in good and bad? Happy and sad? “A little bit of everything. I was here, they traded me twice. Yeah, so I’ll just leave it at that.”
0 comments Charlotte Hornets Phoenix Suns
Show all
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors