TL;DR
- Kelly Flagg wants her son Cooper Flagg to win Rookie of the Year against Kon Knueppel.
- Kon Knueppel is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year, challenging Cooper Flagg's status.
- Kelly Flagg expressed a desire for Kon Knueppel to join the Dallas Mavericks.
- Knueppel and Flagg were former Duke teammates now competing for Rookie of the Year.
Kelly Flagg, mother of Cooper Flagg, desires her son to have the most significant Rookie of the Year competition on the Mavericks. However, Charlotte Hornets's rookie Kon Knueppel is preparing something substantial, which Kelly has noticed. Consequently, she's already envisioning a Duke reunion with Dallas.
Cooper Flagg's mother suggests a potential Duke reunion following Kon Knueppel's ascent.
Kalshi Sports posted released updated odds for Rookie of the Year on Tuesday via X. Their report indicated Knueppel had risen to 27 percent, trailing only Flagg's 53 percent. VJ Edgecombe slid to 13 percent. With the season now past its midpoint, the competition for rookie of the year is becoming genuinely compelling.
Kelly's response to that post about Knueppel's odds was pretty direct. "He is an amazing young man and player. Would love him in Dallas!" She wrote.
Not to mention, indirectly she acknowledged both the threat and the bond itself. For the unversed, Knueppel and Cooper spent one season together at Duke before going separate ways in the 2025 NBA draft. The duo helped Duke win a lot of games, finishing with a strong 35–4 record in their freshman college campaign.
However, the former brothers are rivals now, and Knueppel is legitimately challenging Flagg's frontrunner status. The Charlotte guard is averaging 17.6 points and six boards through 14 games while shooting lights out from deep. He has scored 20-plus points in six out of the 14 games, including two 30-plus scores.
As the NBA season progresses, his basketball intelligence is evident in every play. Concurrently, Flagg is adapting to his new surroundings in Dallas. The Mavs currently hold a 4-11 record, thrusting the top draft pick into immediate action. He's recording averages of 15.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 15 appearances. Dallas has tried him at the point guard position, presenting a challenging adjustment period.
Flagg and Knueppel will meet twice this season when Dallas visits Charlotte in January and March. Those games now will carry extra juice for sure as Knueppel becomes one of the main players standing between Flagg and a potential Rookie of the Year trophy.
Despite what Kelly wants, Charlotte won’t trade Knueppel, even with a 4–10 record. After a strong draft, the franchise finally has direction and isn’t willing to give up their future to team up with Flagg.
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