The Charlotte Hornets demolished the Boston Celtics 118-89 at the TD Garden on Wednesday. In the process, the Hornets continued to rise, and Kon Knueppel has officially made NBA history by joining Michael Jordan in an elite club after scoring 20 points, according to Basket News.
“Such a performance allowed Knueppel to tie Michael Jordan for the most games in NBA history with at least 20 points and at least 65% true shooting as a rookie,” Basket News wrote on their website.
It was the sixth straight win for the Hornets, who are now 32-31, and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Knueppel has been the star of the show, averaging 19.2 points per game while shooting 48.8%, including 43.6% from the triples. On Wednesday, he had 20 points while shooting 7 for 14, including 4 for 8 from beyond the arc.
Knueppel recently made history with three-point conversions and is proving to be a force to be reckoned with in Charlotte. Along with Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, the three have paced the Hornets and helped improve the team's standing after the Hornets went just 19-63 last season. Knueppel has achieved a shooting mark that only Jordan accomplished in his rookie season.
The Hornets took Knueppel with the fourth overall pick before the start of the 2025-26 season. Since then, he has battled Cooper Flagg, his former college roommate, in the battle for the Rookie of the Year award. While that race is not determined, there is something else that Knueppel might accomplish that Flagg cannot.
Currently, the Hornets are pushing for a playoff spot. If they finish in the top-six, they will automatically get a berth. If they finish anywhere between seventh and 10th, they will qualify for a play-in spot. The Hornets have not made it to the playoffs since the 2015-16 season. Their next game will be Friday against the Miami Heat, a team directly ahead of them in the standings.
