The long-anticipated first NBA meeting between former Duke roommates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel lived up to every ounce of hype and then some.
Drafted fourth overall last spring, three picks behind Flagg, Knueppel had already marked the moment on his calendar. “That’ll be a special moment to play against your college roommate on an NBA floor,” he said at the time. Thursday night in Dallas, that moment became one for the history books.
Flagg erupted for a career high 49 points as the Mavericks fell to the Hornets 123 to 121, but it was Knueppel who delivered the final blow. The Charlotte rookie poured in a career-best 34 points, drilled eight three-pointers, and sealed the win with game-winning free throws as the clock expired.
“It’s incredible, to have a night like this with him. That’s my brother for life,” Flagg said postgame, after becoming the first teenager in NBA history to score 49 or more points. “Ten-plus years down the road, I think we’ll both be looking back on this as a pretty special thing.”
The duel was historic on multiple fronts. Flagg and Knueppel combined for 83 points, the third most ever by opposing rookies in a single game. Flagg also became the youngest player ever to record at least 49 points and 10 rebounds, doing so with remarkable efficiency. Knueppel, meanwhile, became just the eighth rookie in league history to score at least 34 points while hitting eight threes.
“This was awesome,” Knueppel said after the game. “Cooper played like the best player we’ve played all season. He’s gonna have a heck of a career.”
Fittingly, the night unfolded amid a celebration of Mavericks history, with Mark Aguirre’s No. 24 jersey retired at halftime. For Flagg and Knueppel, however, this felt like the beginning of a rivalry that could define the NBA’s next era.