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Why Hornets’ Kon Knueppel still feels like a rookie despite strong start
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- Why Hornets’ Kon Knueppel still feels like a rookie despite strong start
Why Hornets' Kon Knueppel still feels like a rookie despite strong start appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Charlotte Hornets wing Kon Knueppel is off to a fantastic start in his rookie season. Selected fourth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke, he's turned into one of Charlotte's main scoring threats.
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In 25 games this season, Knueppel is averaging 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while logging 33.6 minutes. He has been remarkably efficient for a first-year player, shooting 46.6% from the field and 40.3% from three-point range. Since the start of December, he has hit double digits in seven consecutive games and is averaging 19.8 points per game, making 36.9% of his three-point attempts. His consistency has made him integral to the Hornets' young core, providing spacing and off-ball creativity that pairs perfectly with guards LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller .
Knueppel's potential was on full display in the Hornets' Friday night matchup against the Chicago Bulls . In a 129-126 loss, he produced a career-high 33 points on 12-of-21 shooting, along with five rebounds and a career-high-tying nine assists across 36 minutes. The 20-year-old also connected on five three-pointers, joining Ball as only the second rookie in Hornets history to record a 30-5-5 game with at least five threes. Miles Bridges also contributed 32 points and seven assists. Miller chipped in 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists as Charlotte remained competitive without Ball, Tre Mann , and Collin Sexton .
"Yeah, I still feel like a rookie," Knueppel said after the Chicago loss, when asked whether he still feels like a rookie after 25 games under his belt. "Still figuring stuff out, still relying on my teammates, especially the off-the-court stuff, trying to figure everything out with my life, so definitely still feel like a rookie."
Charlotte native Patrick Williams , Zach Collins , and Isaac Okoro led the Bulls' balanced attack, helping the team end its seven-game losing streak. The Hornets' inability to close the game was partly due to yielding 80 points in the paint, including 30 in the fourth quarter, even though they shot 43.2% from three on 16-of-37 attempts, their highest since Nov. 10. Knueppel nearly tied the game in the final seconds but was denied by a successful Bulls challenge.
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Off the court, Knueppel has already earned recognition, receiving the Kia Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award for October and November. ESPN also ranked him 17th in its list of NBA's Top 25 Players Under 25, making him one of four rookies to appear, ahead of fellow first-year guards VJ Edgecombe and Dylan Harper .
While Charlotte currently sits 12th in the Eastern Conference, Knueppel's combination of scoring, playmaking, and defensive awareness has made him a bright spot for the Hornets as they look to develop their young core.
Related: NBA rumors: Hornets won't pursue Chris Paul, because why would they at this point?
