NBA Rookie of the Year Market Watch: Kon Knueppel Taking Control

By Kody Malstrom | Jul 23, 2026, 12:28pm

The biggest game of the NBA Rookie of the Year race could be Tuesday night when the Charlotte Hornets (30-31) and Kon Knueppel host Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks (21-39) at 7 p.m. ET. The former Duke teammates are the odds-on favorites in a close NBA Rookie of the Year race, but Flagg has missed the past seven games with a foot injury and is unlikely to suit up Tuesday. Flagg was spotted in a walking boot during the All-Star break and speculation about his injury has shifted the market with Knueppel (-175) flipping to a favorite. Note that there is no official 65-game rule for the Rookie of the Year race like there is with other NBA awards, so even if Flagg misses 18-plus games (he’s missed 11 this season) he will still be on the ballot for voters. Read our NBA MVP report to see how the 65-game rule could impact that market.

2025-26 Rookie of the Year Odds

Kon Knueppel vs. Cooper Flagg Rookie of the Year Race

Heading into the All-Star Break, Flagg had a massive edge on Knueppel with -650 consensus odds to win the award. Knueppel sat at +360 and 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe was in the mix at +7000. Yet with Flagg spotted in a walking boot and Dallas continuing a trend of tanking teams treading lightly with any injured players, Knueppel has been thrust into the role of favorite. While there is no 65-game rule for Rookie of the Year, voters may discount games missed when considering the award. Availability cost Joel Embiid (2016-17) and Zion Williamson (2019-20) in their respective bids for Rookie of the Year. Both of these rookies had incredible performances when these teams met Jan. 29, with Flagg dropping a career-high 49 points on 20-for-29 shooting and Knueppel countering with 34 points while going 8-for-12 from 3-point range. If Knueppel has another big performance while Flagg is in street clothes, voters will remember it. Knueppel already broke the rookie 3-point record with his 207th make in his 59th appearance this season. He’s played in 60 of 61 games and leads all rookies in PER (17.92) although Flagg (17.58) isn’t far behind.

Charlotte Hornets vs. Dallas Mavericks Odds

Charlotte Hornets vs. Dallas Mavericks Matchup & Picks

The Hornets will be on the front end of a back-to-back set Tuesday with a road game coming up Wednesday at the Boston Celtics (40-20). Charlotte is projected to be a home favorite of around 10 points against Dallas with the Over/Under around 230 points. Charlotte is one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference with a 14-3 record since Jan. 22. The Hornets rank fourth in net rating (+10.5) and seventh in defensive rating (109.7) over their last 15 games and have been one of the best teams defending the paint over the past six weeks. Since Dallas has depended heavily on interior scoring with drives into the paint, the Hornets match up very well against a rebuilding team that could continue to play veterans limited minutes and tread lightly with Cooper Flagg among other injured players. We’ll take the Hornets (-9.5) or better. Be sure to check out the daily NBA betting trends page for the latest odds and data before making your pick!

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.