Tracking the odds: Cooper Flagg the favorite for NBA rookie of the year over Kon Knueppel
The Dallas Mavericks forward is making his case for the award in the final week of the regular season.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg celebrates after a Mavericks score during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers at American Airlines Center on Sunday, April 5, 2026, in Dallas. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News) Cooper Flagg would like to remind everyone: The race for NBA Rookie of the Year isn’t over.
The Dallas Mavericks forward followed his record-setting 51-point game Friday against the Orlando Magic with 45 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday , igniting his campaign for the award over Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel going into the final week of the regular season. The odds have favored Knueppel, but the gap narrowed after Flagg became the youngest player to score 50 points Friday, and he overtook his former roommate at Duke after the Mavericks' 134-128 win Sunday over the Lakers, according to several betting sites. DraftKings set the odds at -250 for Flagg and +180 for Knueppel.
Flagg has four more games to make his case for the award, while Knueppel has three. Here’s a look at the rookies' stats this season, their performances Sunday and their remaining opponents. Season stats GP MPG FG% 3PT% RPG APG PPG Flagg 65 33.
8 47. 2 29. 3 6.