Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers thinks that the ROY race between former Duke teammates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel is neck and neck and that he would be fine seeing the NBA hand out two Wilt Chamberlain trophies this year.
Personally, Rivers says he has been toggling between both sides but has been unable to pick one because they are two incomparable cases.
"I do think it's close, and I've gone back and forth on it. Because this year, more than any year I can remember, it's almost two categories," began Rivers. He went on to explain why this is such a tough decision.
" Cooper Flagg 's numbers just scream at you. They really do, scoring 40, scoring 50, being the point guard, playing a position he's never played before, handling it night in and night out, being the featured guy each night. But what Kon has done, in my opinion, he's changed the culture of an organization that has had cultural problems with his approach. His play is tough. He's a two–way player. I've never seen a rookie have an impact on a team as much as he has had."
Much was talked about Flagg before he even played his first NBA game. And after a slow start, he has come on really strong and more than lived up to the hype. The No.1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft is currently averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in 33.9 minutes of playing time per contest.
Not only has Flagg put up superstar numbers, but he has looked very comfortable as the lead man on his team and continues to improve as the season has progressed. In four games played this month, Flagg is averaging 33.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. However, the Mavs are just 1-3 during that stretch and just 25-55 overall this season.
But while Flagg couldn't turn the Dallas Mavericks into a winning squad, Knueppel has helped the Hornets become a legitimate playoff team. At 43-37, the Hornets have more wins this season than the previous two years combined (40).
Last season, Charlotte won only 19 games, and although you can factor in Brandon Miller 's injury, Charlotte more than doubled their win total, showing the kind of impact that Knueppel's had. And so while the Mavs are headed to the Draft Lottery for the second straight year, the Hornets have a shot at the playoffs via the backdoor as the No.9 team in the East. Knueppel's numbers are impressive at 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per game, but they're not as good as Flagg's.
"The reason that he doesn't have the numbers is that he's on a good team. So he's sharing the ball with LaMelo Ball and Bridges, and everybody else. I think he could score more points if he were on a team that's worse. But he's such a team player. He's such a leader, and I do think from a coaching standpoint, that means a lot," Doc added.
The last time the NBA had co-Rookie of the Year winners was in 2000, when Elton Brand and Steve Francis shared the award. Flagg and Knueppel shared the same room while they were at Durham. They might end up sharing the Rookie of the Year award, too.
Related: Gilbert Arenas explains why Cooper Flagg will never match Wemby's two-way impact
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
