When this NBA season began, it was assumed that No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg would run away with the Rookie of the Year award. The former Duke Blue Devil has been as good as advertised, already averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. That said, he still has his work cut out for him, thanks to three players he knows quite well.
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Flagg’s former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel has been terrific in Charlotte. His stats are across the board are eerily similar to Flagg’s, and he’s already established himself as one of the most reliable 3-point shooters in the league.
Then there’s Flagg’s high school teammate Derik Queen, who has gone from a punchline for the way the Hornets gave up an unprotected first-rounder to move up and get him to a potential franchise cornerstone.
Last but not least is V.J. Edgecombe, the No. 3 overall pick whose rivalry with Flagg dates back to their high school days. Flagg and the Blue Devils eliminated Edgecombe and the Baylor Bears from last year’s NCAA Tournament. But Edgecombe has gotten revenge since they’ve both reached the NBA, winning both head-to-head matchups while outscoring Flagg both times.
Flagg was asked about the rivalry after last night’s loss to Edgecombe and the Sixers, and though at first it may seem that he was throwing shade at his fellow 2025 draft mate, it turned out to be anything but.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a rivalry,” Flagg said. “I think obviously everybody knows with the awards and everything you’re always playing against each other and you’re put against those guys that are in your class … But I got a lot of love for V.J., we’ve competed at a really high level against each other for three years now, so it’s a lot of love and respect there,” he explained.
“He’s a competitor and a winner at the highest level and that always shines through, so I got a lot of respect for V.J. and what he’s been able to do this year,” the Mavs rookie added.
Flagg is averaging about three more points and one more rebound per game than Edgecombe, but the Philly guard will surely get some credit for helping turn the Sixers around as part of the league’s most dynamic young backcourt alongside Tyrese Maxey. The Sixers are 18-14 and fifth in the East, while the Mavs are 12-23 and ahead of only the Kings and Pelicans in the West.
There’s a lot of season left to be played, but this is going to be one of the best Rookie of the Year races in recent memory, especially if Knueppel and Queen can keep it from being a two-horse race. Flagg and Edgecombe have only faced off twice so far, but whether Flagg wants to call it a rivalry or not, these guys will be compared to each other their entire careers.
