Flagg surpasses Knueppel in Rookie of the Year probabilities following notable performance

DALLAS — The odds for Rookie of the Year have shifted in favor of Cooper Flagg following an extraordinary weekend by the Dallas Mavericks’ young star.

After scoring a total of 96 points across two games, Flagg surpassed Charlotte Hornets shooter Kon Knueppel as the frontrunner for the award, as reported by DraftKings. Flagg’s odds are now -250, while Knueppel stands at +180.

Flagg followed his record-setting 51-point game in Friday’s defeat against the Orlando Magic with 45 points in a near triple-double during Sunday’s 134-128 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I think it’s definitely some sort of statement,” Flagg remarked, who also contributed nine assists, eight rebounds, two steals, and a block in the win. “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.”

Knueppel began the weekend as the -300 favorite for Rookie of the Year over his Duke teammate Flagg, who had +225 odds. Flagg then became the first rookie since Allen Iverson—and the only teenager ever—to average at least 45 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists over a two-game stretch.

As per ESPN Research, Flagg is the first rookie to score at least 45 points in consecutive games since Hall of Famer Walt Bellamy in 1962. Wilt Chamberlain is the only other rookie to achieve such a streak on three occasions.

Flagg has recorded three of the four 45-point games by a teenager in NBA history, including these last two contests. He is among only six players to have at least three 45-point games as rookies. The others—Bellamy, Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Earl Monroe, and Lew Alcindor—each won Rookie of the Year and later entered the Hall of Fame.

“I don’t know if he’s making a closing statement,” said Mavs coach Jason Kidd, who has worn a T-shirt to his last two postgame media sessions featuring the “AIN’T NO PRESSURE” slogan from the Mavs’ marketing campaign for Flagg. “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-point game. He wants to win, and he helped the team win tonight.”

Flagg leads all rookies in scoring with an average of 20.8 points per game, ranks third among qualifiers in rebounding (6.6), and is second in assists (4.5) behind teammate Ryan Nembhard. The only rookies since the ABA-NBA merger to average at least 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists per game are Larry Bird, Jordan, Luka Doncic, and Flagg.

Knueppel is averaging 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game and has set a rookie record with a league-leading 265 made 3-pointers for the 43-36 Hornets.

Flagg has faced the challenge of frequent losses with the 25-53 Mavericks while contending with the opposing team’s top defender each game.

“He draws so much attention, but it’s nothing to him,” Mavs forward P.J. Washington stated. “He makes shots at all three levels. He can facilitate the ball, can rebound, play defense. He’s a jack of all trades and obviously he’s 19 doing what he’s doing. It’s unheard of.”

Flagg’s performance statistically aligns with only two previous rookie teenagers, both of whom are current Lakers. Luka Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists while winning the 2018-19 Rookie of the Year for the Mavericks. LeBron James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists during his 2003-04 Rookie of the Year season.

“I mean, he’s obviously special,” James commented. “I’ve seen that all the way back to like the AAU days when he was coming up in the ranks and playing with his team out of Maine and he was doing the things that he was doing on the circuit. So, knew he was special from then, and he’s just taken that from what he was doing back home to the AAU circuit to Duke to now here, and he’s getting better and better and better. Looks like he loves the game. He’s putting in the work and he’s gotten better.

“But it’s a great rookie class. You look at VJ [Edgecombe] in Philly. Look at Kon in Charlotte, you look at Dylan [Harper] in San Antonio. It’s a great rookie class and all those guys are making an impact on their respective teams. So, the league is in good hands with those rookies.”

James, now 41 and in his record-setting 23rd NBA season, had 30 points, nine rebounds, and 15 assists as the Lakers lost in their first game without injured stars Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves (oblique). Flagg regarded it as an honor to compete against one of his childhood idols.

“I think it was pretty cool,” Flagg said. “Obviously, he’s somebody that when I was a little kid I was watching him go through his entire career. So it’s really impressive, first of all, just to watch him and see him able to do the things that he’s still able to do out there. But it’s a dream come true to match up against somebody like that.”

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.