Knueppel & Flagg Battle for ROY: Latest Rookie Ladder & NBA Takes

Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets remains at the top of the Kia Rookie Ladder, continuing to lead the NBA in 3-pointers made with 238 through games played as of Tuesday, March 17. The debate over whether he or Dallas Mavericks guard Cooper Flagg deserves the Kia Rookie of the Year award continues to intensify as the regular season nears its conclusion.

While Knueppel maintains the top spot in the rookie rankings, the race is considered close. Several NBA analysts have weighed in, offering differing perspectives. A recent panel discussion on Amazon Prime, featuring John Wall, Steve Nash and Blake Griffin, largely favored Knueppel. Wall stated, “No one expected him to be as good as he is. He surprised everybody. He should be clear-cut Rookie of the Year.”

However, others draw parallels to past Rookie of the Year races. Former NBA wing Iman Shumpert compared the current competition between Flagg and Knueppel to the 2004 battle between LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. He noted that Knueppel, like Anthony then, is contributing to a team vying for a playoff berth, while Flagg’s Mavericks are lottery-bound. Shumpert cautioned against prioritizing team success over individual performance, referencing the 2004 vote where James won despite Anthony posting superior statistics and leading his team to a better record.

Flagg, who recently returned from an eight-game absence due to a left foot sprain, is averaging 18.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 2.2 steals plus blocks per game in his eight games back. Both the Hornets and Mavericks have 13 games remaining as of Wednesday, providing ample opportunity for either player to strengthen their case.

Here is the latest edition of the Kia Rookie Ladder:

1. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets (19.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg) – Knueppel scored 22 points in 23 minutes against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, shooting 50% from the field. This marked his 28th game this season scoring 20 or more points while maintaining that shooting percentage.
2. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks (20.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.5 apg) – Despite the season-ending injury to teammate Kyrie Irving, Flagg has expressed gratitude for Irving’s mentorship, particularly regarding the challenges of losing as a top draft pick.
3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers (15.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.9 apg) – Edgecombe has focused on improving his rebounding, averaging over one additional rebound per game since the All-Star break, grabbing a season-high 12 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
4. Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings (11.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg) – Raynaud has drawn comparisons to former Kings large men like DeMarcus Cousins and Marvin Bagley, achieving strong rookie numbers despite being the No. 42 overall pick. He recently scored 23 points on efficient shooting and followed that with a career-high 32 points.
5. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs (11.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.8 apg) – Harper recently missed two games with a right calf contusion but was active for Tuesday’s game against Sacramento. Teammate Victor Wembanyama indicated he would re-draft Harper if given the opportunity.

Other rookies making an impact include Cedric Coward of the Memphis Grizzlies, Ace Bailey of the Utah Jazz, Derik Queen of the New Orleans Pelicans, Jeremiah Fears, also of the Pelicans, and Javon Small of the Grizzlies. Small, drafted 48th has shown significant development, logging the majority of his minutes since February 1.

The Pelicans’ lottery odds are decreasing as they continue to win, lessening the pressure on rookie center Derik Queen to immediately perform at a high level, given that their first-round pick was traded to Atlanta.