The Charlotte Hornets may have found something far bigger than a promising rookie season in Kon Knueppel. Bleacher Report already has the forward slotted as the third-best shooter in the NBA, putting him behind only Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
That kind of company says plenty about how quickly Knueppel has forced his way into the conversation. He didn’t take home 2025-26 Rookie of the Year, but he still put together a season that looked nothing like a typical first-year campaign.
Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 47.5% from the field, 42.5% from 3-point range and 86.3% from the free-throw line. He also led the NBA in 3-pointers.
The awards came early and often, too. Knueppel won the first four Rookie of the Month honors last season, becoming the first Hornets player ever to take home the award four times.
The Hornets also have a long list of milestones attached to his name. At age 20, he became the only player in NBA history age 22 or younger to record 250 3-pointers in a season against New York on March 26. He also passed Michael Jordan for the NBA rookie record for the most games with 20-plus points on 65% true shooting, doing it for the 27th time against Miami on March 6 in what was then his rookie-leading 14th 25-point game.
Knueppel’s shot-making kept rewriting the record book. On Feb. 26 at Indiana, he set the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season with 207, while matching his career-high and the franchise rookie record with eight 3-pointers.
He later tied that same franchise rookie mark himself. Then on Feb. 7 at Atlanta, he set a new NBA record for most games with 5-plus 3-pointers by a rookie, reaching 14.
He also broke the rookie record for the most games with 20-plus points on 50/40/90 shooting splits, finishing with 12 against Golden State on Dec. 31. That previous mark had belonged to Stephen Curry.
Knueppel’s overall profile only adds to the buzz. He is one of only three rookies in NBA history, minimum 25 games played, to average at least 15 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range. The other two are Larry Bird and Paul Pierce.
Charlotte has clearly identified its direction with Knueppel and Brandon Miller as the franchise’s new centerpieces after the LaMelo Ball trade. The Hornets have not made the playoffs since 2016, and Knueppel’s rise is only raising expectations. He was the first rookie to lead the NBA in made 3-pointers with 272, and the early read on him is simple: All-Star written all over him.
Charlotte opens its home schedule against the Atlanta Hawks.
In Other News...
Charles Lee Called Out What Still Holding Back The Hornets
After the loss to Boston, Charles Lee pointed straight at the habits he still wants the Hornets to build. He said the effort has to show up with more consistency, quarter by quarter, and he tied that to the turnover issues that have continued to undercut Charlotte when it needs cleaner possessions and a steadier rhythm.
Lee also singled out one player for bringing a true two-way mindset, noting the value of impact on both offense and defense as the team tries to establish a better standard. For a Hornets group still working to turn stretches of competitiveness into something more dependable, that kind of buy-in is part of the foundation, even if the bigger breakthrough is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Anderson Jr. Showed Hornets Fans Exactly Why He Matters
Christian Anderson Jr. finally got on the floor for his Charlotte Hornets preseason debut after sitting out two games with an ankle injury, and he wasted little time reminding everyone why he was such a significant first-round addition. The No. 18 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft finished with 10 points, hit two 3-pointers and added two steals in a loss to the Boston Celtics, a showing that fit neatly with the two-way reputation he built during a notable college run at Texas Tech.
The Hornets were already short on guard help, so Andersons return arrived at a useful moment for a backcourt trying to sort itself out. He said he wants to contribute on both offense and defense, and the outing backed that up, with his energy on the perimeter and willingness to make plays showing up even in a preseason setting. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Make Another Back-End Roster Move With A Familiar Purpose
The Hornets kept working the edges of their preseason roster shuffle this week, cycling through a pair of undrafted guards as they continue sorting out Exhibit 10 candidates. Charlotte waived forward Wyatt Fricks, then signed DaJuan Gordon before waiving him and bringing in Latrell Wrightsell, a familiar kind of back-end move for a team trying to stock its camp with developmental depth and G League ties.
Gordon and Wrightsell both arrive with G League experience, which fits the purpose of these transactions as much as the names themselves do. Charlotte is not alone in taking this route, either, with teams like the Rockets, Hawks, Jazz and Nets using similar waiver-and-signings to line up their preseason paperwork and keep roster flexibility intact while the deeper competition for jobs plays out. [Read more 🡒]