Kon Knueppel’s media availability at NBA draft combine.
Kon Knueppel II had his media availability at the NBA combine in Chicago.
It took Charlotte Hornets rookie standout Kon Knueppel II just 29 games to hit his first 100 career three-pointers, obliterating the previous fastest mark for that achievement.
Knueppel finished his team’s 139-132 loss in Cleveland on Dec. 22 with five three-pointers and 20 points, including his 100th career triple in the final minute of the first quarter. Lauri Markkanen’s 41 games to hit the century mark in three-pointers stood as the previous fastest, with Keegan Murray and Luka Dončić needing 42 games.
The Milwaukee native has been excellent for the Hornets after they took him with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He averages 19.4 points per game, shooting a Milwaukee-area-coded 41.4% from three-point range and 47.4% overall. He also has 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, though the Hornets are just 9-20 this year after the loss.
Knueppel, whose family hosted a meal for the entire Hornets team during their last trip to Milwaukee on Nov. 14, will be back in his hometown Jan. 2 for a game at Fiserv Forum. The Hornets host Milwaukee on Dec. 29, as well.
Knueppel briefly found himself atop the BetMGM odds leaderboard in the race for the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year, though former Duke University teammate and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg is now the leader at minus-200, ahead of Knueppel (plus-180), Pelicans breakout Derik Queen (plus-1200) and 76ers’ V.J. Edgecombe (plus-2800). FanDuel’s leaderboard ranks the players similarly.
Flagg averages 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, with a 47.8% mark from the field for the Dallas Mavericks. He also has 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.