Cooper Flagg showcases his incredible development, drops 49 in historic rookie duel vs. Kon Knueppel

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel put on a show Thursday night when the former Duke teammates faced off for the first time in their professional careers. Knueppel had the last laugh as his Charlotte Hornets beat the Dallas Mavericks 123-121. Knueppel dropped 34 points on 62.5% from the floor in the win but Flagg's individual effort was historic. The 19-year-old scored 49 points on 20 of 29 from the field, setting an NBA record for most points scored in a game by a teenager and breaking the Mavericks' single-game rookie scoring record.

The duel between the star rookies was as advertised, as Knueppel caught fire from 3-point range while Flagg was the Mavericks' offensive engine. Their 83 points combined was the third-most by a rookie duo in NBA history, trailing only Pete Maravich (Atlanta) and Nate Archibald (Cincinnati) in 1971 (91 points) and Johnny Green (New York) and Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia) in 1960 (85 points).

Thursday night's game served as the latest entry for both players' Rookie of the Year case, and as impressive as Knueppel was, and has been over the course of the season, Flagg's got the slight edge here for the award. Make no mistake, Knueppel, 20, has all the makings of being a future star in this league. It's not just his 3-point shooting, he's shown a willingness and ability to attack the rim when given the opportunity. His off-ball movement is already years beyond his age, and he makes the right passes to get a higher percentage shot.

But Knueppel is also playing on a team where he's not the central focus offensively. He has the luxury of playing next to LaMelo Ball, who attracts so much defensive attention that it often opens up wide-open looks for Knueppel on the perimeter. That was on display Thursday night, as 24 of Knueppel's 34 points came off 3s, where Miles Bridges and Ball combined for nine assists to Knueppel, who was automatic from long range.

Meanwhile, Flagg was fighting through contact for points and working in a variety of floaters, mid-range pull ups and 3s to give his injury-riddled team a chance. He was creating for himself while dealing with far more defensive pressure whenever he touched the ball. Flagg was the only Mavericks starter who finished the game with a positive plus-minus, and given he was the only Dallas player who crossed the 20-point threshold, you can see why.

With the Mavericks dealing with so many injuries, primarily to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, it's allowed Flagg -- the No. 1 pick -- to be more in control of the offense. After a rough first few weeks, Flagg's been as dominant as many expected him to be since. 

His production in January took a slight downturn, but the 49 points signaled that this is no case of hitting the rookie wall. He's still averaging nearly 20 points on 48% from the floor, which is a level of efficiency unheard of for rookies. Flagg's shooting that well with nearly 46% of his shots coming from mid-range, a feat typically reserved for only the most lethal shooters in the league.

And that's just the offensive side of the ball. Flagg's defense is what will launch him into a class of his own. He has a great feel for timing blocks, can guard multiple positions and already is a solid point-of-attack defender on the perimeter. His size makes him difficult to navigate around, but he's also quick on his feet to not look like a deer in headlights when he gets switched on smaller, shiftier guards.

Thursday night's battle showcased two premier rookies at the top of their game in what could prove to be a compelling Rookie of the Year race. Flagg, now a -500 favorite at DraftKings, has the edge right now, but Knueppel (+340) has a worthy case too with several months to play.