The top of the rookie class made history this week.

Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel and Dallas’ Cooper Flagg became the first pair of college teammates to be honored as the best rookies in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively, for October/November. That has not happened in the 24 years the league has been awarding the monthly standouts.

The two Duke products have been high rung-holders on the 2025-26 Kia Rookie Ladder since the season began and slotted in again in the top two spots. The five other players nominated as October/November’s best newcomers – Memphis’ Cedric Coward and New Orleans’ Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen in the West, Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe and Charlotte’s Ryan Kalkbrenner in the East – all have been Ladder mainstays since Opening Night.

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