Mavs’ Cooper Flagg, Hornets’ Kon Knueppel named Rookies of Month in NBA first

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel just made a little history together. The former Duke teammates were named the NBA’s Rookies of the Month for October and November in the West and East.

The league noted it is the first time since the award went conference-by-conference in 2001 that both winners came from the same college program.

Flagg, the No. 1 pick, shook off a slow start with the Mavericks and finished November by dropping a career-high 35 points on the Clippers.

The 18-year-old averaged 16.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists across his first 20 games, shooting 46.2 percent from the field and 80.3 percent at the line. His three-ball is still coming along at 25.3 percent, but the rest of the profile is already there.

Knueppel, the fourth pick, has walked into Charlotte and taken on a featured role right away. He averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 47 percent overall and a scorching 41.3 percent from deep.

Flagg beat out Cedric Coward, Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen for the West honor. Knueppel edged VJ Edgecombe and Ryan Kalkbrenner in the East.

Flagg remains the slight betting favorite for Rookie of the Year, but both Blue Devils are already separating from the pack.