Charles Lee provided an initial injury update on Kon Knueppel following the Charlotte Hornets’ matchup against the Orlando Magic on Friday night.
Knueppel has been making waves as one of the best performing rookies to start the 2025-26 NBA season. However, that might be on hold for some time after he twisted his right ankle during the first half of Charlotte’s contest against Orlando. It ended his time on the court after 15 minutes of action, finishing with 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Lee provided an update on Knueppel’s health after the game, per reporter Rod Boone. The Hornets head coach had good news to share about the standout rookie, showing that X-rays were negative on a significant ankle injury.
“Speaking to @ShannonSpake in Orlando, Charles Lee said X-rays taken on Kon Knueppel’s right ankle were negative,” Boone wrote.
How Kon Knueppel, Hornets played against Magic
Mike Watters-Imagn Images
The Hornets will hope for the best in Kon Knueppel’s health with the ankle injury. Despite this, they managed to obtain a solid road win over the Magic.
Charlotte took firm control in the first quarter and never looked back. They put up a 38-28 display in the first 12 minutes before expanding their lead with a 39-29 outing in the third quarter, getting all the distance they needed to put Orlando out of reach.
Perimeter shooting and rebounding made the difference in this matchup. The Hornets prevailed in both categories by making 19 3-pointers and securing 53 rebounds. It wasn’t the same for the Magic as they only converted 11 triples and grabbed 42 rebounds.
Seven players scored in double-digits for Charlotte in the win, including Knueppel. LaMelo Ball led the way with 22 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. He shot 7-of-20 overall, including 4-of-10 from downtown, and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe. Miles Bridges came next with 16 points and 11 rebounds, Brandon Miller had 15 points, Tidjane Salaun put up 14 points and eight rebounds, while Collin Sexton provided 13 points and two assists. Meanwhile, Moussa Diabate turned in 10 points and 13 rebounds.
Charlotte improved to an 11-20 record on the season, holding the 12th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 0.5 games above the Brooklyn Nets and four games above the Washington Wizards while trailing the Milwaukee Bucks by 1.5 games and Atlanta Hawks by 3.5 games.
The Hornets will look forward to their next matchup, being at home. They host the Bucks on Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. ET before facing the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 31 at 1 p.m. ET.