NBA Draft

Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel Awarded NBA Rookies of the Month

The two leading favorites for Rookie of the Year were awarded the best of the month for December.
Jed Katz|
Feb 5, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils assistant coach Emanuel Dildy (left) and guard Kon Knueppel (center) and guard Cooper Flagg (right) look on prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Feb 5, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils assistant coach Emanuel Dildy (left) and guard Kon Knueppel (center) and guard Cooper Flagg (right) look on prior to the game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

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Charlotte HornetsDallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the 2025 NBA Draft class this season. Nearing the halfway mark, the former Duke stars have the numbers to back up their own cases for the Rookie of the Year award. The tight race was reflected in the NBA's Rookie of the Month awards, given to the two.

Flagg, the new face of the Dallas Mavericks, took home Western Conference honors, while Knueppel won the award for the Eastern Conference as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. Both teams may not be the most competitive at the moment, but individually, the former Blue Devils have stuffed the stat sheet over the last few weeks.

Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, took his game to new heights in December, particularly on the offensive end. The 19-year-old averaged 23.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game last month, and dropped a career-high 42 points in an overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.

The 6-foot-9 forward's offensive aggression was a big thing to note. While his defense has been impressive since he stepped onto an NBA court, Flagg has done a better job with his poise, displaying elite slashing ability on both sides of the rim. He posted 52-33-81 shooting splits.

Knueppel, on the other hand, has been consistent on the offensive end all season long, but took things up a notch last month. The Wisconsin native averaged 20.8 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists on incredible 50-46-90 splits, showcasing three-level scoring while also contributing in other areas of the game.

The 6-foot-7 wing always seems to position himself in the best areas to score, on or off the ball. He doesn't need an excess amount of dribbles to be effective, playing like a veteran as a rookie. Knueppel's shooting was on full display, too, as he became the fastest player in league history to reach 100 threes in December, taking just 29 games.

Knueppel and Flagg are the two most recent reasons why Duke players go on to succeed in the pros. The two have proven to be the next faces of their respective franchises, each having something different they bring to the table.

What's more is that the two will face each other for the first time as pros on Jan. 29, as the Hornets will travel to Dallas for a matchup against the Mavericks.

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Jed Katz
JED KATZ

Jed is a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in journalism. He also contributes at several other basketball outlets, including has his own basketball blog and podcast — The Sixth Man Report.

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