Mavericks star Cooper Flagg named NBA Rookie of the Year over Kon Knueppel in historic race
Flagg beat out his former Duke teammate to secure the hardware.
Cooper Flagg was named NBA Rookie of the Year on Monday over fellow finalist and former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, making the first time players from the same college team finished first and second in voting. Flagg joined the Dallas Mavericks as the No. 1 pick in last year’s NBA Draft with enormous expectations that he largely met during a standout rookie campaign.
Flagg developed into the Mavericks’ best player and finished the season with averages of 21 points, 6. 7 rebounds, 4. 5 assists, 1.
2 steals and 0. 9 blocks per game while shooting 46. 8% from the field and 29.
5% from the 3-point line. He beat out Knueppel in what was largely seen as a two-man race for the award down the stretch of the regular season. Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe was a finalist for the award alongside Flagg and Knueppel.