Every NBA season delivers a surprise. Sometimes it’s a team suddenly vaulting into playoff contention after years in the lottery. Sometimes it’s an unheralded role player becoming indispensable to a contender. But the most compelling storylines often come from rookies: young prospects who, against expectation, prove themselves to be NBA-ready faster than anyone imagined. In 2025-26, no player seems more poised to deliver that kind of narrative than Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.

Knueppel, the sharpshooting wing out of Duke, arrived in the NBA with a pedigree but not necessarily with the fanfare that accompanied his teammate, Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick and one of the most hyped prospects of the past two decades. Drafted fourth overall by the Charlotte Hornets, Knueppel came into a franchise starving for shooting and stability. With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller missing significant time last season, just 74 combined games between them, the Hornets’ offense sputtered, finishing in the bottom third of the league in efficiency. Knueppel, with his size, shooting, and feel for the game, immediately projects as a difference-maker.

His production at Duke hinted at readiness. As a freshman, he averaged 14.4 points per game on an efficient 47.9% from the field and 40.6% from three, while boasting an elite 91.4% from the free-throw line. He wasn’t just a specialist; his 2.7 assists, 4 rebounds, and steady defensive metrics underscored his all-around impact. Most importantly, he played and started in all 39 games, a consistency that Charlotte desperately craves given the health questions surrounding their cornerstone players. Knueppel was not just talented; he was reliable, and in many ways, that may make him the perfect fit for the Hornets’ immediate needs.

His Summer League performance only cemented this notion. Knueppel led Charlotte to its first-ever Summer League championship, averaging 18.3 points over his final four games and capturing MVP honors in the title contest with 21 points against the Sacramento Kings. His dagger three with 31.1 seconds left sealed the victory, a snapshot of the poise and confidence that set him apart from his rookie peers. In a class dominated by hype around Flagg, Knueppel quietly made his own statement: he is ready now.

The Hornets’ perfect fit: Why Knueppel’s game elevates Charlotte

For years, the Hornets have chased balance. LaMelo Ball’s playmaking brilliance has been undermined by his availability. Brandon Miller’s upside is immense, but he’s still in the process of finding his role as a third-year forward. Collin Sexton, added in the offseason, provides scoring punch but is best suited as a sixth man. What Charlotte has lacked, more than anything else, is a reliable perimeter shooter who can space the floor, open lanes for Ball’s drives, and force defenses into tough rotations. Knueppel fills that void seamlessly.

Unlike many rookies, Knueppel’s game is built to translate immediately. His mechanics are clean, his release is quick, and his ability to shoot both off the catch and off the dribble makes him more versatile than a typical spot-up option. At Duke, he averaged 5.3 three-point attempts per game and converted them at a 40.6% clip, numbers that should excite a Hornets team that ranked among the worst in the league in three-point percentage last season. With Ball orchestrating the offense, Knueppel projects to thrive as a catch-and-shoot threat, but he also has the IQ to cut smartly when defenders overplay him.

What separates Knueppel from being pigeonholed as merely a shooter, though, is his all-around polish. His assist numbers reflect strong decision-making and a willingness to keep the ball moving. He rebounds better than most guards at his size, and he proved at Duke that he can defend his position with physicality and discipline. For a Hornets team that has struggled with defensive focus, Knueppel’s ability to compete on that end only adds to his value.

More than just the skill set, though, is the opportunity. Knueppel will not be buried on the bench behind veterans. He will likely compete for a starting role from Day 1, particularly if Charlotte chooses to bring Sexton off the bench to lead the second unit. The Hornets’ glaring need for spacing means Knueppel has one of the clearest pathways to playing time of any rookie in this class.

The Rookie of the year battle: Why Knueppel can push Flagg?

There is no escaping it: Cooper Flagg is the Rookie of the Year favorite. His blend of size, defense, and versatility makes him one of the most unique prospects in recent NBA history. But awards are as much about opportunity, production, and narrative as they are about raw talent, and that is where Knueppel’s candidacy becomes fascinating.

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First, there’s the matter of usage. On a Charlotte team desperate for shooting, Knueppel will have the green light to launch. With LaMelo Ball probing defenses and Brandon Miller drawing attention on the wing, Knueppel will feast on open looks. His efficiency at Duke suggests he won’t waste those chances. If he can sustain something close to his 40% shooting from deep while scaling up to NBA volume, his scoring average could surprise, perhaps reaching the mid-to-high teens. That level of production on a playoff-hopeful team would immediately put him in the Rookie of the Year conversation.

Second, there’s durability. Knueppel’s ironman season at Duke contrasts with the recent availability issues of Ball and Miller. If he stays healthy and plays 70-plus games, that consistency could weigh heavily in his favor when compared to rookies in less stable situations. Availability is often the hidden factor that tips award races.

Third, there’s the storyline. Knueppel, overshadowed by his Duke teammate in the draft buildup, offers the kind of underdog narrative that voters often find appealing. Flagg will dominate attention, but should Knueppel become the rookie who transforms Charlotte into a legitimate playoff contender, his story may resonate even more. The Hornets, who have not won a playoff series since 2002, are starving for relevance. A breakout rookie who stabilizes their roster while providing the shooting and toughness they’ve lacked could become one of the season’s defining narratives.

The rookie who could rewrite expectations

Kon Knueppel may not have the hype machine of Cooper Flagg or the raw explosiveness of some of his fellow rookies, but what he does have is the perfect combination of skill, opportunity, and maturity. His ability to shoot at a high volume, defend competently, and provide consistent effort on both ends of the floor makes him exactly the kind of rookie who can shock the league.

For the Hornets, his emergence could not come at a better time. A franchise mired in mediocrity and injuries now has the chance to rally around a young player whose strengths address their most glaring weaknesses. For Knueppel, the stage is set to prove that being overshadowed in the draft was a mistake, that his all-around game deserves more than the “shooter” label, and that he belongs in the Rookie of the Year conversation alongside Flagg.

The Hornets’ path back to relevance has been long and uncertain. But with Knueppel in the mix, 2025-26 could be the year Charlotte doesn’t just surprise the NBA; they shock it.