🏀 Will Kon Knueppel Win Rookie of the Year? ROTY Odds for Hornets Star
He’s set the NBA rookie 3-point record. He’s averaging more than 19 points per game. And he has the Charlotte Hornets positioned for the Play-In Tournament. But will Kon Knueppel win Rookie of the Year?
We break down Knueppel’s ROTY odds, compare his stats to other top rookies, examine how the betting market is reacting to his surge, and more.
📊 NBA Rookie of the Year odds 2026: Live updates (Feb. 27)
Our NBA Rookie of the Year odds update in real time based on the latest NBA odds.
Knueppel sits at +120 to win Rookie of the Year, putting him in a two-man race with Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, the current -140 favorite, who was priced at -450 on Tuesday. The next closest player is Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe at +10000.
🔢 NBA rookie stats 2026: Kon Knueppel vs. the field
Updated: Feb. 27, 2026
| Player | Team | PPG | 3PM | 3P% | ROTY odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kon Knueppel | CHA | 19.4 | 209 | 44.2% | +120 |
| Cooper Flagg | DAL | 20.4 | 52 | 30.2% | -140 |
| VJ Edgecombe | PHI | 15.3 | 113 | 36% | +10000 |
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 in the Rookie of the Year race.
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 unlikely that Knueppel will win Rookie of the Year, with his +120 odds implying roughly a 45% chance of taking home the award. Despite a record-setting rookie season, he is still behind Flagg in the betting market.
Cooper Flagg vs. Kon Knueppel
While Flagg leads in scoring (20.4 PPG), Knueppel is now 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.
The NBA Rookie of the Year market is highly efficient. While Knueppel has a realistic shot at the award, Flagg’s season-long production still justifies his shorter odds compared with the Hornets guard.
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
Betting insights via BetMGM (Feb. 24).
| Player | Odds (Feb. 24) | Current odds (Feb. 27) | Ticket % | Handle % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Flagg | -450 | -220 | 11% | 20% |
| Kon Knueppel | +275 | +120 | 17.8% | 23.6% |
| VJ Edgecombe | +8000 | +6600 | 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 forward. However, if the market overreacts and overvalues Knueppel, we will see a correction, with money coming back in on Flagg.
📈 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. He still has some work to do, though, to pull ahead of Flagg.
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