The Charlotte Hornets are suddenly one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and it’s not just a fluke stretch - it’s starting to feel like something real is brewing in Buzz City.
Winners of nine of their last ten, the Hornets have clawed their way back into the Eastern Conference play-in picture, jumping from the 12th seed to 10th. Even after their nine-game win streak was halted Monday by the Pistons, Charlotte got a break: the four teams closest to them in the standings - Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, and Milwaukee - all took losses of their own. That kept the Hornets in the mix, and more importantly, it gave them a little breathing room as they continue to surge.
At the center of it all is rookie guard Kon Knueppel, who’s been nothing short of electric. Through 53 games, he’s flirting with the ultra-elite 50/40/90 shooting club - a benchmark reserved for the most efficient scorers in NBA history.
Knueppel is just 1.5% shy on field goal percentage (48.5%) and a razor-thin 0.1% off at the free-throw line (89.9%). For a rookie?
That’s borderline absurd.
But it’s not just the efficiency that’s turning heads - it’s the volume. Knueppel is putting up 18.9 points per game, third on the team behind LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
And here’s the kicker: Miller’s played 16 fewer games. That kind of consistency and scoring punch from a first-year player is rare - especially on a team fighting its way back into playoff relevance.
Monday’s game also marked a major milestone for Knueppel, as he became the fourth-fastest rookie to hit 1,000 career points since 2020. The only names ahead of him? Victor Wembanyama, Zion Williamson, and Paolo Banchero - all top-tier talents and former Duke standouts, just like Knueppel.
His former Blue Devil teammate and current Hornets running mate Sion James summed it up perfectly: “When the moment’s the biggest he wants to be the guy that steps up. He’s always like, ‘Give me the ball.
Find me. I’ll get open.’
He’s not afraid.”
That mentality showed again in Monday’s loss. Knueppel dropped 20 points, hitting 5-of-11 from deep, and added five rebounds and three assists. He was also the only Hornets starter to finish the game without a turnover - a small detail, but one that speaks volumes about his poise and decision-making.
The Hornets still have work to do to solidify their spot in the postseason picture, but with Knueppel emerging as a legitimate offensive weapon, the outlook is a lot brighter than it was just a few weeks ago. This rookie isn’t just learning the ropes - he’s helping to change the trajectory of a franchise.