With the Charlotte Hornets season coming to an end, rookie guard Kon Knueppel remains a frontrunner for the NBA Rookie of the Year. In a two-man race with Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Knueppel could bring Charlotte its fourth Rookie of the Year award in franchise history.
An all-time rookie season
Knueppel ended the year as the league leader in made three-pointers with 273, the first time a rookie has done so. In the process, Knueppel passed Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray for the most threes made by a rookie and set the Hornets franchise record for most threes in a season.
While Knueppel scored primarily from behind the arc, he was more than a stationary shooter. He converted 71.2% of his shots within 0-3 feet and consistently scored using screens and handoffs.
Despite being a high-volume three-point shooter, he was one of the NBA’s most efficient scorers this season. Knueppel’s 62.6% true shooting percentage ranked higher than 81% of NBA players, while his 59.4% effective field goal percentage ranked above 79% of the league.
Among all rookies, no player matched his combination of volume and efficiency, as even Flagg posted a lower true shooting percentage.
Knueppel’s efficiency ranked among the top five for a rookie averaging at least 15 points per game over the past decade, placing him alongside players such as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard Luka Dončić. His shooting ability allowed him to remain on the floor for a Hornets team seeking to end a 10-year playoff drought.
Knueppel drives Charlotte’s leap forward
The Hornets finished as the No. 14 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 19-63 record in 2025, securing the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Knueppel helped guide Charlotte to a 44-38 finish in 2026. His shooting reduced pressure on star guard LaMelo Ball and forward Brandon Miller, contributing to Ball’s second season with 70 or more games played since 2020-21 while allowing Miller time to recover from multiple injuries.
Knueppel’s availability also stood out, as he appeared in 81 games as a rookie following a deep March Madness run in 2025 with Duke University.
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Knueppel’s experience at Duke, alongside Flagg as an off-ball shooter, translated quickly to Charlotte’s system. With Ball and Miller as primary ballhandlers, Knueppel developed into one of the NBA’s most reliable perimeter scorers.
Like other Rookie of the Year candidates, Knueppel delivered in key matchups and standout performances.
On Jan. 29, Knueppel recorded a career-high 34 points with no turnovers and shot 8-for-12 from three-point range in a 123-121 win over Dallas, despite a 50-point performance from Flagg. He added four more 30-point games during the season.
Knueppel finished the year averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the field and 42.5% from three on 7.9 attempts per game.