Hornets’ Kon Knueppel adds another honor to NBA hardware collection
Kon Knueppel added another piece of NBA hardware to his growing collection.
The Charlotte Hornets’ rising star was named first-team all-rookie Wednesday night, putting the bow on his initial season in the NBA. Knueppel joined friend and former Duke standout Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio’s Dylan Harper, Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe and Memphis’ Cedric Coward on the first team.
Utah’s Ace Bailey, New Orleans’ Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, Toronto’s Collin Murray-Boyles and Sacramento’s Maxime Raynaud make up the second team.
A panel of 100 people, including The Charlotte Observer, participated in the vote.
Picked fourth overall behind Flagg, San Antonio’s Dylan Harper and Edgecombe, Knueppel had an impressive campaign for the Hornets. He quickly fit into the starting unit alongside LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate and gave Charlotte’s playmakers extra room to roam thanks to his sharpshooting.
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The 20-year-old led the NBA in 3-pointers with 273, draining 42.3% behind the arc, and sank 47.5% of his overall attempts from the floor.
Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, and durability wasn’t an issue. He logged action in all but one of the Hornets’ 83 appearances — sitting out Dec. 29 in his hometown of Milwaukee with a sprained right ankle.
He earned Eastern Conference rookie of the month honors for four straight months to begin his career, becoming the first player in franchise history to accomplish the feat and first in the league to do that since another Duke product — Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic — in 2022-23.
Knueppel registered a franchise rookie record-tying eight 3-pointers in a single game, holds the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season and is the fastest player in NBA history to reach 200 career made 3-pointers. He also surpassed Hornets minority owner Michael Jordan for the NBA rookie record for most games with 20 or more points on 65% true shooting.
All that helped Knueppel finish second to Flagg in the NBA’s rookie of the year race. Knueppel received 44 first-place votes and totaled 386 while Flagg collected 56 first-place nods and amassed 412.
