One for ages: Flagg nets 49; Knueppel scores win

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  Tim MacMahonJan 30, 2026, 01:48 AM ET

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  • Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
  • Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks
  • Appears recurrently on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM

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DALLAS — This was an evening Cooper Flagg figures he’ll be speaking about along with his former Duke roommate Kon Knueppel for many years.

That’s most likely true for nearly everybody on the American Airlines Center who witnessed the thrilling show Thursday night time within the first NBA assembly between the Rookie of the Year front-runners.

Flagg, the No. 1 choose, had 49 factors, essentially the most in NBA historical past by a youngster, breaking the Dallas Mavericks’ rookie document he shared with Mark Aguirre, whose No. 24 was retired in a halftime ceremony through the sport.

But Knueppel, the No. 4 choose, completed with 34 factors and made the essential performs within the last moments to assist the Charlotte Hornets earn a 123-121 win, their fifth straight. He pressured Flagg into committing a turnover with 7.6 seconds remaining and hit the profitable free throws after drawing a foul on his buddy in transition.

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Flagg’s tightly contested jumper bounced off the again of the rim on the buzzer.

“Just a crazy ending to a phenomenal game,” Knueppel mentioned. “He was the best player on the floor tonight. Probably, I mean, that’s the best player that’s played against us all season. It’s just fun competing against the best, and obviously, being close with him, that kind of adds to the competitiveness. So, it was really fun.”

Flagg (-400) and Knueppel (+280) entered the night time with the very best odds to win Rookie of the Year, in line with DraftKings Sportsbook, creating a novel buzz round a late-January sport between two groups under .500. Flagg and Knueppel greater than met the anticipation by changing into the primary pair of school teammates to every rating a minimum of 30 factors whereas enjoying in opposition to one another as rookies.

According to ESPN Research, their mixed 83 factors are essentially the most by a pair of rookies in a sport since Tiny Archibald and Pete Maravich mixed for 91 in 1971.

“It’s incredible,” Flagg mentioned of competing with Knueppel for Rookie of the Year. “I wouldn’t want to be in any other position. We’ll both be looking back on this night and this whole year in general for the rest of our lives, and we’ll be talking about it and stuff like that. It’s just so special to have this opportunity in general.”

Knueppel anticipates his odds to win that honor took a success after Flagg’s record-setting efficiency.

“We’d both like to win, but we don’t talk about it,” mentioned Knueppel, who’s averaging 18.9 factors with an efficient discipline purpose proportion of 61.1%, the very best effectivity by a rookie who scored that a lot. “I mean, this was a heck of a game. I think he’s probably going to jump me with 49 and 10 [rebounds], but it is what it is. An award like that is cool, but whoever gets it, I’ll be happy for him.

“Who is aware of? I’m simply glad we acquired the win. That issues extra to me than anything.”

Knueppel, who was 10-of-16 from the floor, set a Hornets franchise rookie record with eight 3-pointers on 12 attempts. He made his first three long-range attempts in the opening four-plus minutes of the game.

“It’s not good,” Flagg said, recalling his thoughts as Knueppel got off to a hot start. “I performed with him final yr, and when he sees some simple ones go in to begin the sport, it is by no means a very good factor. That’s how it’s with lots of nice shooters. You by no means need to let him tee up open photographs and begin a sport and get right into a rhythm.”

Flagg, who moved past Knueppel as the rookie scoring leader at 19.5 points per game, got rolling in the second quarter with 23 points. He had 40 by the end of the third, joining LeBron James and Anthony Edwards as the only teenagers in NBA history to record multiple 40-point performances.

The stage was set for Flagg to finish his spectacular performance in storybook fashion. He hit a pull-up 3 with 33.5 seconds left to tie the score at 121-121 and grabbed a defensive rebound on the ensuing possession. But the Hornets schemed to keep Flagg from being the hero, doubling him to force the ball out of his hands as he dribbled several feet above the 3-point arc. Knueppel timed his double-team well, deflecting Flagg’s pass, and their fellow former Duke teammate Sion James saved the ball to Knueppel to start a fast break.

“By no shock, our man finally ends up making the most important play of the sport down the stretch and simply proceed to affect profitable,” said Hornets coach Charles Lee, who praised Knueppel’s defensive effort pregame. “[He had] the instincts to return and double workforce, seeing a scenario the place the ground is balanced in a approach that that is most likely the fitting spot to deliver a double. A man has 49 factors, so that you need to attempt to gradual him down, clearly, and make anyone else on the beat at that time of the sport.”

Flagg, the league’s youngest player at 19, took fault for poor execution with the game on the line.

“I’m making an attempt to be taught nonetheless end-of-game conditions,” said Flagg, who swapped jerseys postgame with Hornets rookie Liam McNeeley, his high school teammate at Montverde Academy. “I’m all the time making an attempt to get higher. That’s one thing, I do not need to say I battle with, however I’ve seen a ton of double groups and stuff, so simply determining how I could be efficient in these moments. It’s acquired to be lots higher.”

Flagg finished 20-of-29 from the floor, becoming the first rookie with at least 20 buckets since Milwaukee’s Brandon Jennings had 21 in his 55-point performance in November 2009. Flagg was 3-of-5 from 3-point range, but he did the vast majority of his damage in the paint, where he scored 28 points.

“He’s not about numbers. He’s about wins and losses,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “That’s who he’s. For a younger man who thinks that approach, he’ll be a champion prior to later. He continues to maintain working. He tried to will his workforce to a win tonight.”