Kon Knueppel arrived in Charlotte with plenty of buzz, but nobody expected his numbers to place him in the same statistical neighborhood as Larry Bird less than a month into his NBA career. Yet that’s precisely where the Hornets rookie now stands.
Knueppel’s Remarkable Start Puts Him in Elite Territory
According to the team, Knueppel is on track to become just the third first-year player in league history to average at least 15 points, five rebounds and shoot 40% or better from three. The only other names on that list: Paul Pierce and Larry Bird.
Not bad company for a 20-year-old guard who was drafted fourth overall just a few months ago.
The Hornets highlighted the milestone on X, noting that Knueppel’s current pace is something only a pair of Boston Celtics legends have matched in their rookie seasons.
“Charlotte Hornets posted on X: Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel is on track to be one of only three first-year players in NBA history to average 15+ PPG and 5+ RPG with a 40+ 3P%.
1. Kon Knueppel
2. Paul Pierce
3. Larry Bird”
Knueppel is averaging 17.6 points, six rebounds, and 2.7 assists, shooting 46.5% from the field and 40.2% from three. He has put up numbers with maturity and a poise that belies his age.
Playing in his hometown of Milwaukee on Nov. 14, Knueppel exploded for 32 points, his career-high, in a performance that electrified the Hornets’ bench and stunned the Bucks crowd. It was a sign he was ready to make an immediate imprint.
Kevin O’Connor Says Knueppel Is the Rookie of the Year
Yahoo Sports analyst Kevin O’Connor broke down Knueppel’s early-season impact on the new episode of The Kevin O’Connor Show, praising how the Hornets have used the rookie in multiple roles.
“They’re using him as a screener sometimes,” O’Connor said. “He’s hitting buckets out of a short roll and making the right pass. He’s just being put into so many different actions.”
O’Connor didn’t stop there.
“To me, so far this season… Knueppel is the Rookie of the Year,” he said.
He then listed his top five Rookie of the Year candidates as of Nov. 13, placing Knueppel at No. 1, followed by Philadelphia 76ers VJ Edgecombe, Memphis Grizzlies’ Cedric Coward, Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, and San Antonio Spurs’ Dylan Harper.
For a rookie class that generated massive national attention, especially because of Cooper Flagg’s rise at Duke and his draft-day spotlight, Knueppel’s emergence has reshaped the award conversation.
While Flagg grabbed headlines, Knueppel was also instrumental during Duke’s run to the Final Four. His game, often overshadowed by flashier teammates, translated perfectly at the next level.
Knueppel’s strengths, shooting, vision, and positional versatility, have carried over seamlessly from college to the pros.
Charlotte has put him in various actions: off screens, handling the ball in secondary roles, and spacing the floor. Each assignment has made him more valuable and harder to guard.