With the NBA season having only a few months left, the discussion over Rookie of the Year has been a hot topic with contenders such as Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, Philadelphia 76ers’ VJ Edgecombe and the Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel.
If Knueppel wins this year’s award, it would make him the 4th rookie in franchise history to win the ROTY, joining LaMelo Ball, Emeka Okafor, and Larry Johnson. The award is expected to be announced in late April and early May.
Kon Knueppel’s Emergence
The Milwaukee native started his career with Wisconsin Lutheran. Averaging 26.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in his senior year, he led his school to the 2024 Boys Basketball Division 2 title, alongside being named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball.
The 5-star recruit committed to Duke over other schools such as Alabama, Wisconsin, Marquette, USC and Notre Dame.
In his Blue Devils debut against Maine, he scored 22 points with 4 rebounds in a blowout victory.
He was later named ACC tournament MVP after Duke’s victory over Louisville, where he tallied 18 points and grabbed 8 boards.
Knueppel and the Blue Devils made a deep run in March Madness before falling to No 2-seeded Houston in the Final Four. His freshman season was enough to be selected as the 4th pick in the 2025 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.
Roommate Vs. Roommate
The other contender for Rookie of the Year is his former roommate and teammate, Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks. They both co-starred at Duke before getting drafted in the top 4 of the NBA Draft.
Flagg has averaged 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, while Knueppel has averaged 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. (Stats are pre-All-Star Break)
However, we have seen the stars face each other twice, both resulting in Hornets’ wins. The January 29th game especially showcased their potential.
Knueppel set a career-high of 34 points and broke his own franchise rookie record with 8 three-pointers. On the other side, Flagg shattered his own career and franchise rookie record, scoring 49 points and securing 10 rebounds in his 7th double-double game of the season.
The game ended with Knueppel tipping a pass from Flagg, and later getting fouled by the Mavericks’ phenom during his layup attempt. Knueppel scored the following two free throws to seal the game.
Setting the Record Straight
Knueppel has already achieved five out of the 10 best games for a Charlotte rookie in single-game 3-pt FG’s. He takes up the first, second, seventh, eigth, and ninth spots respectively.
He is also only two 3-pt FG’s away from breaking the current franchise rookie record for most threes in a season by a rookie, which Brandon Miller currently holds.
Someone could argue that the Hornet’s record books lack depth in comparison to other teams, due to being much newer. However, he is proving to be a player who is making a clear impact with the Hornets. Possibly leading the franchise to make the play-in this season.
Weather Report = Raining 3’s
Currently, Kon Knueppel has 183 three-pointers made (pre-All-Star Break). He is currently on pace to break the rookie total of 206. This pace has been contributed by his 3.4 3-pt FG’s made per game, making him tied 5th with his teammate, LaMelo Ball.
He also recorded 100 3-pt FG’s in 29 games, finishing 12 games ahead of the former record holder Lauri Markkanen. For more context, it only took Steph Curry 58 games to reach this milestone.
Knueppel has been able to display his deep-shooting skills on the court, achieving a pace that has never been seen in a long time.
What’s Next
Knueppel would need to maintain his current pace in terms of 3-point shooting to further cement his chances for the award. With Cooper Flagg returning from Injury, we could see his numbers decline while he fully recovers from a left midfoot sprain.
What could cement Knueppel’s case is leading the Hornets to the playoffs for the first time in a decade. The last time Charlotte made the playoffs, Kobe Bryant was still in the league.