Stephen A. Smith Gives His Pick in Kon Knueppel vs. Cooper Flagg RoY Debate

A major reason for the Charlotte Hornets' success over the past 2 1/2 months has a lot to do with the overall health of the team. For the first time in years, this front office, coaching staff, and fans are getting a long look at what this young core is capable of when they are on the floor.

Last summer, the Hornets added another piece to that young core in Kon Knueppel, yet no one expected him to emerge as one of the best young players in the NBA this quickly, if at all. The thinking was that he would be a nice complementary piece to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on the perimeter and while he has fulfilled that expectation, he is a more complete player than anyone gave him credit for during the draft process.

Knueppel has flirted with the coveted 50/40/90 shooting splits all year and recently just broke the NBA’s rookie three-point record, which has resulted in him now being the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Knueppel is currently -150, and his former college teammate Cooper Flagg is +120.

Thanks to their demolition of the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Knueppel and the Hornets have been a popular topic of conversation this morning, including on ESPN’s First Take.

Popular media personality Stephen A. Smith made his stance on the Rookie of the Year debate very clear. He’s going with Kon.

Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith looks on before the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“Right now, I would still have to give the Rookie of the Year (award) to Kon Knueppel. I can’t believe what I’m seeing from this kid. I really, really can’t. This brother is a walking bucket. Giannis (Antetokounmpo) has already praised his basketball IQ. Draymond Green compared his shooting stroke to that of a Klay Thompson. I like that analogy. I think he’s right on point with that. And I’m looking at it, well, Cooper is special and it ain’t his fault, but the Dallas Mavericks are 21-40 even though he’s missed like the last eight games due to this foot injury. Kon Knueppel has helped the Charlotte Hornets be a game above .500. They’ve won like six straight. They’re an NBA-best 16-3 since January 22nd. This dude has only missed one game. He’s the second-leading scorer as a rookie to Cooper Flagg. He shoots better from the field, better from three-point range, better from the free-throw line. That’s who we’re talking about here. And when you look at how it translates to winning for Charlotte…again, the losing in Dallas is not Cooper Flagg’s fault at all…but the winning that’s occurring in Charlotte has a lot to do with Kon Knueppel.

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