Sept. 28, 2026, 1:11 p.m. ET
Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel is recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during practice.Knueppel downplayed the injury and is aiming to return for the season opener on October 21.The former Duke player stated he is “progressing really well” with his rehabilitation.Knueppel averaged 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds during his rookie season.
Like many other teams, the Charlotte Hornets held media day Monday, addressing offseason questions ahead of training camp. Kon Knueppel’s health had become a developing story after the former Duke forward sustained a hamstring injury during practice.
While taking questions, Knueppel downplayed the injury, aiming to make a return for Charlotte’s season opener October 21 against the Brooklyn Nets. “We know that I want to play in every game. We saw that last year, (I) pretty badly rolled (my) ankle and only missed one; I didn’t miss any games in college or high school. So I’m going to do my best to get myself prepared for that.”
Last year’s 3-point leader also indicated that he’s “progressing really well” amid rehab and is hopeful to return as soon as possible. Having averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.7 steals as a rookie, Knueppel’s absence would be felt if he were to miss Charlotte’s season opener.
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