Former Duke teammates are now battling for NBA Rookie of the Year in a race that won’t be decided until the final days
Former Duke teammates are now battling for NBA Rookie of the Year in a race that won’t be decided until the final days originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Not long ago, Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were sharing the floor for Duke Blue Devils, building something that felt inevitable.
That season ended in the NCAA Finals Four. They were the future, two elite talents on the same roster, each playing off the other. Now, that future has split in two different directions, and somehow, it has brought them right back together.
The 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year race has turned into a head-to-head battle between former teammates, and it’s coming down to the final stretch of the season. There’s no clear runaway favorite anymore. Instead, it feels like every game, every performance, and every moment is shifting the conversation.
And then came last night. 51 points. 19 years old.
#32, Cooper Flagg. https://t. co/mW2ldVZZdk pic.
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