🏀 Kon Knueppel Remains NBA Rookie of the Year Favorite Over Cooper Flagg: ROTY Odds
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg is doubtful to play against the Charlotte Hornets tonight, which is only helping Hornets guard Kon Knueppel's Rookie of the Year odds. After a historic eight-triple outing against the Indiana Pacers last Thursday, Knueppel has become a -170 betting favorite over Flagg. Knueppel’s record-setting performance not only made history but also triggered a major shift in the betting market, ending Flagg’s long reign at the top.
As Flagg continues to miss games for the Mavericks, the odds keep moving in Knueppel's favor. Flagg will likely miss his eighth game in a row tonight, and while his stats are still comparable to Knueppel's, the longer he remains injured, the more opportunities Knueppel has to sway voters in his favor.
📊 NBA Rookie of the Year odds 2026: Live updates (March 3)
Our NBA Rookie of the Year odds update in real time based on the latest NBA odds.
Knueppel is now a -170 betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year, pulling ahead of Flagg (+140), who was priced at -450 on Feb. 24. The next closest player is Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe at +12500.
🔢 NBA rookie stats 2026: Kon Knueppel vs. the field
Updated: March 3, 2026
| Player | Team | PPG | 3PM | 3P% | ROTY odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kon Knueppel | CHA | 19.3 | 211 | 44% | -170 |
| Cooper Flagg | DAL | 20.4 | 52 | 30.2% | +140 |
| VJ Edgecombe | PHI | 15.5 | 118 | 36.3% | +12500 |
While Flagg averages slightly more points per game, Knueppel has made more 3-pointers than Edgecombe and Flagg combined. The Hornets guard is also shooting eight percentage points higher from beyond the arc than the other top rookies.
Note: On Feb. 26, 2026, Knueppel officially broke the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers in a single season (209), surpassing Keegan Murray's previous mark of 206 in just 59 games.
🏆 Will Kon Knueppel win Rookie of the Year?
It’s probable that Knueppel will win Rookie of the Year, with his -170 odds implying roughly a 63% chance of taking home the award. Flagg was a -140 favorite on Friday afternoon, but the market has since decided that he is the less likely choice.
Cooper Flagg vs. Kon Knueppel
While Flagg leads in scoring (20.4 PPG), Knueppel is the NBA’s overall leader in 3-pointers made, not just among rookies.
Another factor boosting Knueppel’s case is that the Hornets will likely make the Play-In Tournament, and the main player exceeding expectations for Charlotte has been its star rookie.
VJ Edgecombe's falling odds
Edgecombe once had shorter odds than Knueppel to win Rookie of the Year, but Flagg and the Hornets guard have since pulled ahead in the betting market. Edgecombe struggled from late January through early February, scoring fewer than 20 points in 15 of 16 games.
Competing statistically with Knueppel and Flagg is also challenging when playing alongside Tyrese Maxey, who holds the second-shortest odds to win NBA Clutch Player of the Year. Despite his role on the 76ers, Edgecombe had been a popular pick among bigger bettors - until Knueppel’s recent surge.
🤑 NBA Rookie of the Year betting splits
As of March 3, the market is still catching up to Knueppel’s historic performance. For context, here were the BetMGM betting splits just a week ago (Feb. 24) before the record was broken:
| Player | Odds (Feb. 24) | Current odds (March 3) | Ticket % | Handle % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kon Knueppel | +275 | -170 | 17.8% | 23.6% |
| Cooper Flagg | -450 | +130 | 11% | 20% |
| VJ Edgecombe | +8000 | +12500 | 12.5% | 25% |
Before Knueppel’s record-breaking 3-point season triggered a major shift in the betting market, he was already a popular pick among bettors.
As of Feb. 24, he accounted for more tickets at BetMGM than Flagg and Edgecombe and carried a larger liability than the Mavericks’ star rookie. However, if the market overreacts and makes Flagg too much of an underdog, we should see a correction, with money flowing back in on the Mavericks forward.
📈 NBA Rookie of the Year opening odds
Odds via FanDuel.
- Cooper Flagg: -190
- Ace Bailey: +850
- Tre Johnson: +850
- Dylan Harper: +1200
- VJ Edgecombe: +2500
- Derik Queen: +3000
- Jeremiah Fears: +3500
- Kon Knueppel: +3500
- Egor Demin: +3500
Knueppel opened the season tied for the seventh-shortest odds to win Rookie of the Year. In hindsight, it’s surprising that he shared the same odds as New Orleans Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears and Brooklyn Nets guard Egor Demin.
📜 NBA Rookie of the Year odds history
Odds via Covers' Sports Odds History.
| Year | Name | Team | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Stephon Castle | Spurs | +1200 |
| 2023-24 | Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | -145 |
| 2022-23 | Paolo Banchero | Magic | +200 |
| 2021-22 | Scottie Barnes | Raptors | +1100 |
| 2020-21 | LaMelo Ball | Hornets | +400 |
| 2019-20 | Ja Morant | Grizzlies | +250 |
| 2018-19 | Luka Doncic | Mavericks | +250 |
| 2017-18 | Ben Simmons | 76ers | +225 |
| 2016-17 | Malcolm Brogdon | Bucks | N/A |
| 2015-16 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Timberwolves | +450 |
If Knueppel wins NBA Rookie of the Year this season, his +3500 preseason odds would make him the biggest underdog to claim the award in nearly a decade. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, as he is still in a two-man race with Flagg.
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