Tetairoa McMillan praises Kon Knueppel during his live presser<\/p>\n
During the Panthers\u2019 live press conference on April 21, McMillan didn\u2019t hesitate to show love to Knueppel. When asked about the Hornets rookie, he delivered high praise<\/a>:<\/p>\n “I haven’t met him before, but man, he sure is ballin’. I feel like his rookie season topped mine in a way… he’s been doing a lot better than I have. Shoutout to him.”<\/p>\n Coming from a player who dominated his own league and secured 82% of first\u2011place votes for OROY, that\u2019s a remarkably humble statement. McMillan put up 70 receptions, 1,014 yards, and seven touchdowns as a rookie. In the NFL, that\u2019s an elite accomplishment as a first-year player.<\/p>\n But here\u2019s the thing: McMillan isn\u2019t wrong. From an impact and historical standpoint, Knueppel\u2019s season was even more extraordinary.<\/p>\n Knueppel didn\u2019t just shoot the leather off the ball, he rewrote the record books. He led the entire NBA in three\u2011pointers made, widely viewed as the most valuable shot in modern basketball. He shattered the rookie record for threes, broke Kemba Walker\u2019s franchise single\u2011season mark, and finished top five in true shooting percentage among rookies in league history.<\/p>\n The Panthers wideout is acknowledging what Hornets fans already know: Knueppel\u2019s debut season was historic.<\/p>\n Kon Knueppel still has a very strong case for Rookie of the Year, despite the Play-In slump<\/p>\n While both players shattered franchise records, Knueppel broke league records. And on that basis, it\u2019s hard to disagree with McMillan\u2019s assessment. Knueppel\u2019s rookie season wasn\u2019t just impressive; it was historically significant, which is exactly why his case for NBA Rookie of the Year<\/a> remains so strong.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s ROY finalists are Knueppel, Cooper Flagg, and VJ Edgecombe, though the race has long been viewed as a two\u2011man duel between Knueppel and Flagg. But an unusual event has complicated things. Due to appeals filed by Luka Don\u010di\u0107 and Cade Cunningham, the league delayed the distribution of award ballots\u2014pushing voting into the Play\u2011In Tournament window. That timing shift has quietly influenced voters who normally would have cast their ballots before any postseason action.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
Add us as a preferred source on Google