Cooper Flagg has rapidly climbed to the top of the NBA Rookie of the Year odds following a historic two-game performance.
The 19-year-old Dallas Mavericks forward poured in a combined 96 points over the weekend, pushing past Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets to become the new favorite.
Just a week earlier, Knueppel dominated an ESPN straw poll with 80 first-place votes, while Flagg received only 20.
The betting landscape has now flipped. DraftKings Sportsbook lists Flagg at -250, while Knueppel has fallen to +180. Before the weekend, those numbers looked very different, with Knueppel at -300 and Flagg trailing at +225.
Flagg’s surge was fueled by a 51-point outing against the Orlando Magic on Friday, setting a teenage scoring record.
He followed that up with another standout performance on Sunday, recording 45 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds in a 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
His achievements place him in rare company. Flagg became the first rookie since Allen Iverson to average at least 45 points, five rebounds, and five assists across a two-game span – and the only teenager ever to do so.
ESPN Research also notes that he is the first rookie since Walt Bellamy in 1962 to score 45 or more points in consecutive games.
Even more impressively, Flagg now owns three of the four highest-scoring 45-point games ever recorded by a teenager.
The only other rookies to reach three such performances, Bellamy, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Earl Monroe, and Lew Alcindor, all went on to win Rookie of the Year and eventually became Hall of Famers.
“I don’t know if he’s making a closing statement,” said Jason Kidd. “I think he’s doing what he’s been doing all season. Being able to play different positions. Being able to be uncomfortable. He’s never complained and has delivered for us.
“Tonight, being able to do it on national television, it’s not easy. Especially coming off a 50-ball. He wants to win, and he helped the team win tonight.”
Cooper Flagg Overtakes Kon Knueppel As NBA Rookie Of The Year Favorite After Historic 96-Point Weekend https://t.co/0CC1M5GK1w
— RealGM (@RealGM) April 6, 2026
