As the 2025-26 NBA season unfolded, all eyes were on Cooper Flagg, the rookie everyone expected to dominate the Rookie of the Year conversation. But with less than two months left in the regular season, another name has emerged as a serious contender: Charlotte Hornets' sharpshooter Kon Knueppel, who once shared the court with Flagg at Duke.
The Hornets have transformed from Eastern Conference underdogs to serious play-in contenders, and Knueppel's fingerprints are all over this resurgence. He's not just contributing-he's on the brink of making history.
Knueppel is closing in on Keegan Murray's rookie record of 206 made threes, sitting at 186 and counting. But that's not all.
Should his stats hold, Knueppel will join the ranks of Boston Celtics legends Larry Bird and Paul Pierce as the only players to average at least 15 points and five rebounds per game while shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc. Currently, he's posting 18.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game with a 43.1 percent success rate from three-point range.
This achievement would be particularly fitting, given Knueppel's admiration for Bird's approach to the game.
Knueppel shared a telling anecdote with Danielle Stein of WCNC in Charlotte, reflecting on Bird's influence: “There was a quote from Larry Bird. My dad has these sheets of all like NBA players in quotes and good body language, bad body language,” Knueppel said.
“And one of them was, ‘A guy watching a ball go out of bounds without diving for it makes me sick.' That was one of them.
Kon Knueppel dancing through the defense for the bucket 🔥pic.twitter.com/irgIh7ozpp
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 20, 2026
I think of that all the time.”
While his shooting prowess is undeniable, it's Knueppel's hustle and determination that have truly set him apart this season. Whether he's diving for loose balls or making unselfish plays, his commitment to winning is evident. Inspired by Bird's mentality, Knueppel is known for putting his body on the line, embodying the spirit of relentless competition.
“If you're going to compete, you might as well give it all you have and put your body on the line a little bit,” Knueppel told Stein.
Though it's early to draw direct comparisons between Knueppel and Bird, the young Hornets star shares several qualities with the Celtics legend. With his current trajectory and work ethic, Knueppel is poised to carve out his own legacy as one of the NBA's rising talents.