Mavericks may have cost Cooper Flagg Rookie of the Year with one decision

How the Dallas Mavericks deployed their rookie phenom drew immediate skepticism. Head coach Jason Kidd opened the season by placing Flagg at point guard. A surprising move for an 18-year-old still adjusting to the NBA. Not only was Flagg learning the league’s physical demands, but he was doing so at a position far outside his comfort zone.

Jason Kidd’s awry point guard experiment with Cooper Flagg

That decision, minor on the surface but aggressive in execution, could ultimately push voters toward Kon Knueppel, Flagg’s former Duke teammate, now with the Charlotte Hornets, in the Rookie of the Year race.

The decision itself didn’t cause Flagg to lose momentum in the now-heated race. He remained the clear Rookie of the Year favorite for much of the season, even during his stint at point guard. But Knueppel began closing the gap in January, and by March, he had surged ahead.

Although Knueppel didn’t match Flagg’s production, notching fewer standout performances and lower averages across the board, he made his impact through absurd efficiency and playing a central role in the Charlotte Hornets’ turnaround to a 44-win season.

Kon Knueppel’s efficiency and rise in the Rookie of the Year race

Knueppel shot 47.5 percent from the field, narrowly edging Flagg’s 46.8 percent. But the real separation came from beyond the arc. Knueppel led the league with 273 made threes while shooting 42.5 percent. Flagg, by comparison, made just 72 at a 29.5 percent clip. All told, Knueppel’s 63.3 true shooting percentage ranked 22nd in the NBA, while Flagg lagged behind at 54.8 percent, good for 166th.

Knueppel’s impact extended beyond efficiency. The Hornets jumped from 19 wins to 44, with Knueppel leading the team in minutes. The 20-year-old also ranked inside the top 30 league-wide in advanced metrics like box plus/minus, win shares, and value over replacement player (VORP). Flagg, meanwhile, finished outside the top 50 in each.

How the Rookie of the Year race shifted from Flagg to Knueppel

Which brings the focus back to Flagg’s early-season role as the Mavericks’ point guard. In October, he averaged just 13.4 points while adjusting to the position, shooting 41.0 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from three. Dallas went 2–3 in that span.

Then came November. Flagg raised his scoring to 17.8 points per game and averaged 3.7 assists, but his efficiency remained an issue, posting a 54.8 true shooting percentage. Dallas struggled as well, going 4–12. Meanwhile, Knueppel continued to shoot at an elite level despite Charlotte's play. The real shift came in January, when Charlotte surged, and the Rookie of the Year race began to tilt.

Knueppel remained steady throughout, while Flagg’s early advantage gradually disappeared. Though Flagg continued to produce highlight moments, he struggled to create meaningful separation from Knueppel, who had settled into a distinct role as Flagg navigated ongoing growing pains.

It took a series of explosive performances from Flagg to regain ground in the race. With his chances slipping, he opened April with 51 points and followed it up with 45, then added a 33-point outing just days later, leaving voters with a lasting impression to close his rookie campaign.

The same couldn’t be said for Knueppel, who struggled in the NBA Play-In Tournament, combining for just 17 points on 5-of-22 shooting across two games.

Still, this race arguably shouldn’t have hinged on a handful of games in April. Even with shortcomings in advanced analytics and team success, Flagg built a case as the more complete player over the course of the season.

In the end, however, Dallas’ early and persistent overreliance on its prized rookie may have cost him one of the NBA’s most prestigious honors.

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