NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Will Kon Knueppel actually beat Cooper Flagg?

No matter how you look at this year’s NBA rookie race between Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg, you can’t go wrong. These two have been fantastic all year, but only one of them can sit at the top of the NBA rookie rankings and claim the Rookie of the Year award.

This debate is a really tough one to lean one way or another, especially since both rookies have been fantastic in their own way.

Knueppel has seemed to have a leg up on Flagg over the last couple of months for a few reasons. Aside from playing winning basketball and directly contributing to the Charlotte Hornets’ second-half success, Knueppel has been the best perimeter-shooting threat in the entire NBA this season.

With six games remaining on the schedule, Knueppel leads ALL players with 257 made threes this season, and he recently became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 250 career threes. He also has the most games in NBA history by a rookie with at least 25 points on 80 percent or better true shooting percentage.

Should he finish the year leading the league in made threes, Knueppel will become the first rookie in NBA history to lead the league in this category. Not to mention, of the 79 players in the NBA who’ve taken at least 500 jump shots this season, Knueppel ranks first when ranked by effective field goal percentage, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer.

All of these historic marks are hard to ignore, which is why Knueppel is viewed as the clear-cut favorite for Rookie of the Year in many people’s eyes. But at the same time, Flagg has also made history with the Dallas Mavericks.

Aside from being the No. 1 option on the Mavs this season and his scoring numbers reflecting this, Flagg has been one of the most efficient players in the league. Out of the 24 players who are attempting at least 16 shot attempts per game this year, Flagg ranks 15th in field goal percentage.

As far as Flagg’s overall numbers go, his stats are very similar to what LeBron James’ were when he was a rookie, and Flagg passed James earlier this season by scoring the most points in a game by an 18-year-old. This record was set when Flagg scored 42 points on Dec. 15 against the Utah Jazz, passing LeBron’s previous mark of 37 points set in 2003.

This NBA Rookie of the Year race simply comes down to a matter of opinion.

Whereas Flagg has the scoring numbers and has established himself as the clear No. 1 option in Dallas, Knueppel has been the best 3-point shooter in the NBA and is directly contributing to the Hornets’ playoff push. Which criteria will matter more in this rookie race?

Here’s a look at our final 2025-26 NBA rookie rankings and who we view as the Rookie of the Year favorite.

1. Kon Knueppel – Charlotte Hornets

Previous Ranking: #1

Stats: 75 games, 18.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 48.2 FG%, 43.1 3P%

One of the main reasons Knueppel has struggled as of late is that teams have realized how good he actually is, and they are defending him much tighter. Over his last six games, Knueppel has only averaged 13.5 points per game while shooting 35.7 percent from 3-point range, but that small sample size doesn’t define the historic season he’s put together.

Also, Knueppel had a 26-11-8 game against the New York Knicks during this stretch, which proves he’s more than just a catch-and-shoot guy on the perimeter.

How the Hornets’ rookie closes out the year could impact a few voters in terms of Cooper Flagg’s ROTY resume, but overall, there is no denying that Knueppel has been the most impactful rookie who has exceeded expectations at a star level this year.

2. Cooper Flagg – Dallas Mavericks

Previous Ranking: #2

Stats: 64 games, 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 46.7 FG%, 27.8 3P%

Although he ranks behind Knueppel in our final NBA rookie rankings, Flagg has certainly helped himself in this rookie race over the last few weeks.

Since the start of March, Flagg has averaged 19.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 42.4 percent from the floor. However, he’s shot just 18.2 percent from 3-point range and has averaged 3.0 turnovers per game.

Flagg’s Rookie of the Year case simply comes down to overall production versus individual impact. While Flagg may have the individual numbers to prove he’s been the best rookie performer this season, his increased volume and lack of team success in Dallas definitely play a role in whether he will top Knueppel for this award.

3. VJ Edgecombe – Philadelphia 76ers

Previous Ranking: #3

Stats: 68 games, 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals, 43.6 FG%, 36.0 3P%

While he may not beat Knueppel or Flagg for Rookie of the Year, VJ Edgecombe could wind up stealing some votes that help determine who finishes at the top of the NBA rookie rankings for the entire season.

When it comes to one-on-one play, Edgecombe has actually stood out among all rookies, especially on the defensive end of the floor, where he is averaging 1.5 steals per game. In terms of his importance, the Philadelphia 76ers are 2-5 without the rookie on the court this season.

VJ Edgecombe is up to 36 points as the Sixers look to close the Kings out pic.twitter.com/ByETwsO0Zr

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 20, 2026

Over his last six games, the Sixers’ rookie has averaged 23.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game while shooting 54.4 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range. During this span, Edgecombe knocked down a career-high seven triples in a 123-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 23.

4. Dylan Harper – San Antonio Spurs

Previous Ranking: #8

Stats: 62 games, 11.6 points, 3.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 49.9 FG%, 32.5 3P%

Dylan Harper has been a second-half bloomer for the San Antonio Spurs this season, as he’s become an important weapon the team utilizes off the bench.

Over his last seven games, Harper has averaged 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 58.3 percent from the floor and a much-improved 50.0 percent from 3-point range. The Spurs already have Keldon Johnson as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, and now they have more firepower with Harper emerging late in the year.

While he may be the team’s third guard behind De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, Harper has a defined role in head coach Mitch Johnson’s nightly rotations, and San Antonio will count on him entering the playoffs.

5. Ace Bailey – Utah Jazz

Previous Ranking: #10

Stats: 67 games, 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 44.5 FG%, 35.7 3P%

Since the start of March, Ace Bailey has been right next to Knueppel and Flagg as the best rookie in the NBA, averaging 19.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the floor and 40.3 percent from 3-point range.

Obviously, Bailey has benefited from the Utah Jazz ruling out their main rotation for the entire season, as he’s become their top scoring option.

There were a lot of questions surrounding Bailey entering the year, but he’s delivered and shown a lot of promise during the final few weeks of the regular season. Bailey has scored double-digit points in 12 of his last 14 games, including a monster 37-point performance against the Toronto Raptors on March 23.

6. Maxime Raynaud – Sacramento Kings

Previous Ranking: #5

Stats: 68 games, 12.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 56.5 FG%, 30.6 3P%

One of the more underrated rookie performers this season, and clearly the best second-round pick, has been Maxime Raynaud.

With Domantas Sabonis dealing with injuries all year and the Sacramento Kings in no shape to win games, Raynaud stepped into the starting lineup and has delivered in some big ways.

Like Bailey, Raynaud has stepped up during the final month of the regular season, averaging 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while shooting 59.5 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from 3-point range over his last 15 contests. He has undoubtedly earned himself All-Rookie honors this season.

7. Derik Queen – New Orleans Pelicans

Previous Ranking: #4

Stats: 75 games, 11.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks, 47.5 FG%

For some reason, the New Orleans Pelicans have lessened Derik Queen’s minutes, which has reduced his overall effectiveness. Why the Pelicans have decided to do this after trading away their 2026 first-round pick to get Queen and being eliminated from the playoffs is a mystery.

Earlier this season, Queen was contributing in a big way and living up to some of the hype surrounding him. Now, he’s finishing the season making a minimal impact, which is concerning heading into the summer.

8. Cedric Coward – Memphis Grizzlies

Previous Ranking: #6

Stats: 58 games, 13.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 46.4 FG%, 33.3 3P%

The injury bug has once again impacted the Memphis Grizzlies, including Cedric Coward. However, the rookie wing has been able to play through some ailments, and he has averaged 13.3 points per game over his last four outings.

Coward has shown flashes of his full potential on the wing, and he is viewed as a building block for the future in Memphis alongside Zach Edey, who played in just 11 games this season due to injuries.

With a lot of length on the wing and key scoring abilities off the dribble, the Grizzlies expect big things out of Coward heading into the 2026-27 campaign.

9. Tre Johnson – Washington Wizards

Previous Ranking: #7

Stats: 58 games, 12.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 42.2 FG%, 36.0 3P%

Only three rookies have made at least 100 3-pointers this season while shooting 40 percent from the floor and 35 percent from 3-point range: Kon Knueppel, VJ Edgecombe, and Tre Johnson.

The Washington Wizards’ rookie has been a clear secondary scorer on the wing, and next to Trae Young and Anthony Davis, the team is very optimistic about his future as a catch-and-shoot threat.

10. Egor Demin – Brooklyn Nets

Previous Ranking: #9

Stats: 52 games, 10.3 points, 3.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 39.9 FG%, 38.5 3P%

Although Egor Demin’s rookie campaign was cut short due to a foot injury, he outperformed expectations placed on him by miles, especially when it comes to 3-point shooting.

Demin has not played since the end of February, yet he still ranks fourth in made threes by all rookies this season, and only he and Knueppel shot at least 38 percent from the perimeter on a minimum of 200 3-point attempts among all rookies.

He may not make the All-Rookie list because of his injury, but Demin is certainly deserving of this honor.

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