NBA rookie rankings: Kon Knueppel or Cooper Flagg — who finished No. 1?

The end of the regular season brings to a close the initial campaign of this rookie class. It’s a time for reflection, an understanding of how far these players have grown over the course of the year. It’s also your final opportunity to yell, scream and fight over the Rookie of the Year.

No matter who wins, this was a unique battle. Cooper Flagg was handed a ton of responsibility in Dallas, took his bumps from the league and responded with a force that won’t be forgotten. Kon Knueppel displayed an unexpected level of consistency for a better-than-expected Hornets team. Both had their historic moments, and the fact they competed against each other spoke volumes. The bigger picture, though, is both teams have to feel good about adding an important piece to their foundations.

Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg battled for Rookie of the Year all season long. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)

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As we turn the corner into Year 2, there is a responsibility to salute Year 1. Growth can be messy, but should never be ignored. This class left a mark on this season. The best players figured out how to problem-solve on the blow. Some players may have more questions to answer, but there is now an understanding of what they can do, how that may help their team going forward, and how they can get better in the offseason. Here’s a final look at what the top rookies did over the course of this year.

1. Kon Knueppel, Hornets

Knueppel is the first rookie in NBA history to lead the entire league in 3-pointers made (273). But the strength of his season has been his consistency: He led all rookies in 20-point games this season (36). That consistency opened up the playbook for Charlotte.

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One of my favorite things to track with the Hornets is how they force defenses to chase Knueppel off screens. Start him in the corner, set a flex screen with a pindown in the middle of the floor. Start him on the block, set a screen near the elbow and allow him to curl into space on the wing. Those actions give him the space to get to his shot, drive or flow into a pick-and-roll.

No matter what, forcing a defense to chase…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/nba-rookie-rankings-kon-knueppel-or-cooper-flagg–who-finished-no-1-181317561.html

Author : Steve Jones

Publish date : 2026-04-14 18:13:00

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