The Charlotte Hornets hit the jackpot when they drafted Kon Knueppel, as he’s been arguably the best rookie in the NBA this season. While Dallas Mavericks sensation Cooper Flagg has had a strong year of his own, Knueppel has made his case for the Rookie of the Year Award. Knueppel is already among the most prolific 3-point shooters in the league, and he made NBA history with his latest triple, as per ClutchPoints’ own Brett Siegel.
During the Hornets’ game against the New York Knicks on Thursday, Kon Knueppel hit his 250th 3-point shot this season, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to have made 250 3-point shots in a single season.
As of publication, with the Hornets holding a double-digit lead against the Knicks in the third quarter, Knueppel had hit 5-of-8 (62.5 percent) from 3-point range.
The No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Knueppel was part of a Duke starting lineup that was all drafted, alongside Flagg, Sion James, Tyrese Proctor and Khaman Maluach.
While the Rookie of the Year race might be still up in the air, Knueppel is an absolute certainty for be named to the All-Rookie First Team. Coming into Thursday’s game, he had appeared in 71 games, including 70 starts, at a little over 31 minutes per game.
He’s been averaging 19.0 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists with splits of 48.7 percent shooting from the field, 43.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 87 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
With Knueppel having an incredible season, the Hornets have also surged in the Eastern Conference standings. They are currently 38-34 and in ninth place in the East.
