Offensive Game
Soft touch around the basket and developing face-up game give him multiple finishing options. Three-point shot is improving.
Career Journey
Charlotte Hornets
2025-present
No. 4 overall pick (2025)
Selected fourth overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke.
Rookie of the Year runner-up
Finished second in 2025-26 Rookie of the Year voting to Cooper Flagg and earned All-Rookie First Team honors.
Rookie three-point record
Led the NBA in made three-pointers, setting the rookie record for threes made in a season.
2025 Summer League Championship MVP
Named Summer League Championship MVP after leading Charlotte to the title.
| Season | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 81 | 18.5 | 5.3 | 3.4 | 47.5% | 42.5% |
Kon Knueppel arrives in Charlotte as one of the most polished shooters to enter the league in years, and his rookie season backs it up. The No. 4 overall pick out of Duke, the Milwaukee-raised wing does his damage with feel rather than freakish athleticism — moving without the ball, reading defenses, and punishing closeouts with a stroke that carries from deep and the free-throw line alike. In 2025-26 he averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting better than 42% from three, and he led the entire NBA in made three-pointers, a rookie record. That efficiency helped fuel a Hornets resurgence and made him the Rookie of the Year runner-up to his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg, along with a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
Offensive Game
Soft touch around the basket and developing face-up game give him multiple finishing options. Three-point shot is improving.
Defensive Game
Good shot-blocking instincts and rim protection. Still adding lower-body strength to handle NBA physicality.
Intangibles
High basketball IQ cultivated through European development. Understands team concepts, positioning, and system play.
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Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets
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