Knueppel Leads Rookie Race, Flagg Nears

0:00Welcome to NBA News Today, two minutes of updates that matter to NBA fans. Hit subscribe and stay connected. The race for Kia NBA Rookie of the Year is getting tighter than ever this season. Charlotte Hornets guard Kahn Newepple holds the top spot on this week's rookie ladder after staying steady during his team's hot streak. He's now the betting favorite ahead of Dallas Mavericks forward, Cooper Flagg with Philadelphia's VJ Edgecombe in third. Newepple leads all rookies and three-pointers made, already breaking the single-season record for first-year players, while shooting at an elite clip. Flagg posts slightly better per game numbers, like 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, but he's missed seven. Gaines with the foot injury, that has let Newepple pull ahead in totals, plus Charlotte boasts 10 more wins than Dallas at 31 and 31. Coaches are noticing the impact. Hornets coach Charles Lee called Newepple's case not even close, praising his consistency

1:00on both ends. Historically, most recent Rookie of the Year winners boosted their team's wins, and Charlotte could improve by 22 this year. Matching Rare Company like LeBron James and Chris Paul. Meanwhile, San Antonio's Dylan Harper jumped into fourth after winning Rookie of the Month in the West with the spurs going 11 and 0 in February. Boston's Hugo Gonzalez had a huge double, double, double, double against Milwaukee, leading Rookie's in plus-minus. Other standouts include New Orleans's Derek Queen with bench production rivaling legends. Newepple and Flagg hold 1-2, but upcoming games could shake things up, like Charlotte at San Antonio on March 14th and Potential Flag. Matchups later. With playoffs looming, these Rookie's teams are counting on their instant help. This episode is brought to you by our sponsor. See the episode description. Your favorite podcasts, music, or sleep sounds coming from your pillow. No earbuds, no distractions, just listen and relax.