NBA Rookie of the Year Betting Odds: Kon Knueppel Favored Over Cooper Flagg

The NBA regular season ends in one month, and the Play-in tournament is set to begin on Apr. 14. Let's take a look at the current NBA Rookie of the Year matchup between Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg. Is the race solidified, or can Flagg or VJ Edgecombe make a run?

(Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

As the season winds down, the Charlotte Hornets have 14 games remaining, while the Dallas Mavericks have 15. Unlike the MVP award, the ROY award doesn't often stem from a player of a top-tier team.

That said, oddsmakers currently view Knueppel as the heavy favorite to win the 2025–2026 Rookie of the Year award (-210) on FanDuel. Trailing is Flagg, who has +160 odds. 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe (+10000) is considered a long shot to win it.

Flagg was initially flagged as the favorite and held the highest betting odds to win ROY (-190 FanDuel) in October. Second in line was Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (+850), followed by Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (+850). Prior to the season, Knueppel wasn't even on oddsmakers' radar as a top-five candidate to win the Rookie of the Year award.

Let's take a look at the current NBA Rookie of the Year betting odds and my latest predictions on who is likely to win the award. Ironically, two former teammates at Duke University will duke it out for the ROY award (no pun intended).

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Current 2025–2026 NBA Rookie of the Year Betting Odds (FanDuel)

• Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets): -210
• Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks): +160
• VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers): +10000

*Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook*

The ROY Favorite: Kon Knueppel

• Preseason ROY Odds: +3500 (FanDuel)
• Current ROY Odds: -210 (FanDuel)

A Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, Knueppel only spent one season as a Duke Blue Devil, but made quite the impression. In his college days, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points per game and shot 40.6% from beyond the arc.

Named Second-team All-ACC and ACC All-Freshman Team, Knueppel was named the ACC Tournament MVP for a reason. The Charlotte Hornets scouted and did their homework. Ultimately, they selected Knueppel No. 4 overall in the NBA Draft.

Knueppel isn't just a shooter. He's an elite 3-point threat and has joined elite company. At 6'7", the flamethrower drew comparisons to Gradey Dick, Corey Kispert, and Sam Houser in his scouting profile.

Oddsmakers weren't too high on Kon, and FanDuel originally priced him at +3500 odds to win the ROY. If you bet on Knueppel, that would have been incredible value for bettors. If you placed $50 on Knueppel to win Rookie of the Year, you would win $1,750.

Now the favorite at -210 odds, the line is juiced, but still risky. If you were to place $50 on Knueppel, you would win $23.81. This shows how rewarding future bets *could* be.

Why Kon Knueppel Is The NBA Rookie of the Year Favorite

The middle of March is here, and now Knueppel is in the same conversations as NBA greats Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Far exceeding expectations, Knueppel is averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in his rookie season.  Starting 66 of 67 games, he's fit seamlessly alongside LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges. And through teammates' injuries, he's carried the team.

Ranking sixth in the NBA in 3-point percentage (43.8) and 3-point attempts (539), Knueppel leads the NBA in 3-pointers made (236). Just recently, he cemented his legacy in Queen City, setting a new NBA rookie 3-point record. Breaking Keegan Murray's previous record set in 2022–2023, Knueppel set the record with 207 made threes.

Leading all rookies with 6.9 win shares, Knueppel has led the Hornets to a 34-34 season. Sitting in 10th place, they are fighting for a spot in the Play-in tournament. Since drafting Knueppel, the Hornets are on pace for their best record since the 2021–2022 season. Coming off a 19-63 season, the franchise is in the midst of a 10-year playoff drought.

There's no question that the Hornets have meticulously rebuilt the team by drafting Ball, Miller, and Knueppel. While some view this team as Ball's, Knueppel has become the third-leading scorer, by just a hair.

There isn't a minimum number of games set to win the Rookie of the Year award, but Knueppel has been durable. Plus, Kon's gaining momentum, averaging 19.3 points and shooting 45.2% from beyond the arc over the last 10 games. A player who impacts the game in numerous ways, did the books sleep on Knueppel?

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Runner-Up: Cooper Flagg

• Preseason ROY Odds: -190 (FanDuel)
• Current ROY Odds: +160 (FanDuel)

There's no question that forward Cooper Flagg was the most talked-about player last March. A native of Newport, Maine, Flagg needed just one year at Duke before going pro.

The consensus No. 1 pick, the Dallas Mavericks, miraculously won the draft lottery and selected Flagg first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Named the National College Player of the Year in 2025, Flagg was awarded the ACC Rookie of the Year and was named to the ACC All-Defensive team and ACC All-Freshman Team.

I would have fallen for the trap at -190 odds, which would have paid $26.32 if you had placed $50 on Flagg to win Rookie of the Year.

Unfortunately, Flagg has missed up to eight games with a sprained foot, which kept him out of the Rising Stars game and his matchup against Knueppel and the Hornets.

Considered a generational talent, Flagg is best known for his prowess, as well as his size and athleticism. While his shooting percentages could improve (29.5% from three), he's averaging 20 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.1 steals as a rookie. May I add he leads all rookies with nine double-doubles.

Can Cooper Flagg Catch Kon Knueppel?

It's not easy replacing the Mavericks' former star Luka Dončić, who was notably traded to the Los Angeles Lakers last season. While the Mavericks were primed for success, one could argue that Flagg and Dallas have endured more growing pains than Charlotte this season.

Kyrie Irving is hurt, and the Mavericks traded Anthony Davis to the Wizards. Leading the way alongside Klay Thompson and Max Christie, it's been quite the adjustment for Flagg.

Even so, we've seen some monstrous performances from Flagg in his rookie season, including a 49-point, 10-rebound outing against the Hornets in January. In addition, Flagg scored another 42 points against the Jazz in December.

Overall, Flagg leads all NBA rookies in points per game and efficiency (21.1). Dallas has 15 games remaining, and its strength of schedule is fairly difficult. Down the stretch, the Mavericks will face the Spurs, Lakers, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Suns.

The first teenager in NBA history to score 49 points, Flagg is also the second-youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 points. And let's not forget his first NBA bucket came as an alley-oop from Anthony Davis.

• I'm not saying Flagg can't win it; he's averaging 17.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.3 blocks over the last 10 games. If he wants to catch Knueppel, Flagg would have to put up some serious numbers. Four No. 1 draft picks have won the award over the last 10 seasons. If successful, Flagg would be the first Maverick to win ROY since Dončić in 2018–2019. If you bet $50 on Flagg to win ROY, you would win $80. 

Final NBA Rookie of the Year Prediction

Unlike Dallas, Charlotte has a slightly easier remaining schedule and will face the Pistons, Celtics (twice), Knicks, Timberwolves, Suns, and Magic before the season concludes.

It may sound corporate, but I'm taking Kon Knueppel to take home the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Heck, he's proven himself so much that he was invited to participate in the NBA All-Star 3-point contest.

At 20 years old, Knueppel is in elite company and is quickly emerging as one of the most elite 3-point shooters in the game. Not only can he knock down shots, but he can also impact the box score in several ways as a high-volume shooter.

It took him just 58 games to record 200 3-pointers, and he ranks in the top three among NBA rookies in minutes (32 MPG), player efficiency (19.7) and points (19.7). Not to mention, he leads in 3-point percentage (43.8%), 3-point attempts, 3-pointers made, field goal attempts, and field goals made.

I wanted to give a shoutout to Edgecombe, who's had an admirable rookie season with the 76ers. While he's missed a few games, his numbers aren't nearly as strong as Knueppel's or Flagg's. But make no mistake, Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey are the future in the City of Brotherly Love.

Final NBA ROY Prediction: Knueppel the Pick, Flagg has the value

Flagg is the best two-way rookie in the class and leads Knueppel in several statistical categories. But since his return, Flagg hasn't played over 33 minutes. Given he's coming back from injury, Flagg is logging 30 minutes in March and is fresh off 27 and 25 points.

• While Flagg has the best value at +160, Knueppel has the overall edge and remains a constant threat from beyond the perimeter. Plus, there are no current health concerns when it comes to Kon. While Kon can maintain the hot hand, Flagg has to play catch-up since his return from injury. Following back-to-back 20+ point outings, Knueppel has scored 25+ points in 14 games this season. Out of those 14, he's erupted for 62 total points against the Cavaliers.