Knueppel collected 24 points (9-17 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, five assists and one steal in 35 minutes during Sunday's 126-103 win over the Jazz.
Knueppel turned in the best scoring performance of his young NBA career, catching fire from beyond the arc after going just 2-for-12 from deep in his previous two appearances. The 20-year-old has shown that he can contribute with consistency outside of the scoring column, and while he certainly has the tools to score the basketball, he's been passive at times on the offensive end. This resulted in back-to-back five-point showings leading up to Sunday's impressive outburst. Knueppel should only continue to improve as he finds his footing at the next level.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Season-high eight rebounds
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Knueppel chipped in five points (1-9 FG, 1-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and one steal over 31 minutes during Saturday's 122-105 loss to the Timberwolves.
Knueppel struggled mightily to get going from deep, but he was able to pull down a season-high eight boards. The rookie first-rounder has now posted back-to-back five-point performances, though the Hornets appear to be comfortable deploying him as a starter. Knueppel has averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 3.0 three-pointers in 29.3 minutes per game over six contests, so he's flashed plenty of upside as a three-point shooter.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Does damage from deep in loss
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Knueppel posted 19 points (7-15 FG, 5-11 3Pt), three rebounds, four assists and one steal in 27 minutes during Tuesday's 144-117 loss to the Heat.
Knueppel was dangerous from beyond the arc yet again Tuesday, where he tallied 15 of his 19 points. He's hit three or more triples in each of his first four NBA appearances, averaging 16.0 points along the way. Knueppel should continue to see plenty of opportunities while Brandon Miller recovers from a shoulder injury.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Scores 20 points with five treys
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Knueppel produced 20 points (7-12 FG, 5-9 3Pt, 1-2 FT), six rebounds, two assists, one steal and two turnovers in 35 minutes during Sunday's 139-113 win over Washington.
The rookie has gotten his career off to an impressive start, registering averages of 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 3.7 triples per contest on 55.2 percent shooting from the floor. He should continue to start as long as Brandon Miller (shoulder) is out, and he's proven to be a solid source of scoring and three-pointers over this season's small sample.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Returns to starting five
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Knueppel is in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Wizards.
Knueppel moved to the bench Saturday after starting the season opener Wednesday but actually logged five more minutes in the reserve role. The rookie out of Duke will rejoin the starting lineup with Brandon Miller (shoulder) sidelined and will look to notch his third straight double-digit scoring effort to open his professional career.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Shifts to bench on Saturday
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Knueppel ended Saturday's 125-121 loss to the 76ers with 14 points (5-11 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three rebounds and one assist in 30 minutes.
After starting in his professional debut in Charlotte's 136-117 season-opening win over Brooklyn on Wednesday, Knueppel played 30 minutes off the bench Saturday night. If Brandon Miller (shoulder) is forced to miss any time, the rookie could find himself back with the starters as early as Sunday against the Washington Wizards. Either way, the 20-year-old should see consistent playing time for the Hornets in 2025-26 after they selected him with the fourth overall pick in last June's draft.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Moving to bench vs. Philadelphia
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Knueppel won't start in Saturday's game against the 76ers.
Collin Sexton will get the starting nod over Knueppel on Saturday. The rookie started Wednesday's season-opening win over Brooklyn, recording 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 3Pt), five rebounds and one assist over 25 minutes.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Puts up 11 points in win
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Knueppel ended Wednesday's 136-117 win over the Nets with 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 3Pt), five rebounds and one assist over 25 minutes.
The Hornets started both Knueppel and Ryan Kalkbrenner in this game, but coach Charles Lee warned previously that those two spots could be "fluid." However, the starting group seemed to really click Wednesday, and there's a good chance the two rookies run away with their starting roles based on their fit, talent and draft capital.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Totals 12 points in Friday's loss
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Knueppel logged 12 points (5-12 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 1-1 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals over 24 minutes during Friday's 113-108 preseason loss to the Knicks.
Knueppel was in the starting lineup for Charlotte's final two matchups of the preseason, tallying 21 total points and seven assists over this brief stretch. The rookie out of Duke appears poised to begin the 2025-26 regular season in a starting role for the Hornets and will have plenty of firepower surrounding him in Miles Bridges, LaMelo Ball (knee) and Brandon Miller (wrist).
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Will start vs. Memphis
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Knueppel will be in the starting lineup in Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies.
After coming off the bench during Thursday's preseason matchup against the Thunder, the rookie forward will be in the first five. The Duke product will join LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Ryan Kalkbrenner in the starting lineup. Veteran guard Collin Sexton will be in the second unit.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Won't start vs. OKC
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Knueppel will come off the bench during Thursday's preseason game against the Thunder, Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer reports.
After dropping a team-high 18 points in Sunday's preseason loss to the Thunder, Knueppel will be in the second unit. The Duke product played well in limited minutes as a starter and will try to follow that up with a similar performance off the bench.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Leads Hornets with 18 points
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Knueppel logged 18 points (6-13 FG, 4-10 3PT, 2-2 FT) with two rebounds and two assists across 23 minutes of Sunday's 135-114 preseason loss to the Thunder.
Knueppel drew the start and led the Hornets in points and shot attempts Sunday. After an impressive Summer League run, Knueppel hit the ground running in his first taste of preseason action and made a strong case to be in the starting lineup for Opening Night. However, head coach Charles Lee said Charlotte's fifth starter could depend on nightly matchups while mentioning Collin Sexton and Tre Mann as Knueppel's top competition.
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Scores 21 in SL championship
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Knueppel recorded 21 points (8-21 FG, 4-11 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds and two assists during Sunday's 83-78 Summer League championship win over the Kings.
Knueppel put together an impressive performance to close out Summer League, posting a team-high 21 points. He connected on a game-high four three-pointers, including a clutch three-pointer to put Charlotte up four with 32 seconds remaining. Knueppel's performance earned him the Summer League title game MVP award.
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Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Scores 17 points in SL win
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Knueppel recorded 17 points (5-12 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, three assists and two steals across 21 minutes in Saturday's 109-80 Summer League win over the Thunder.
Knueppel finished as Charlotte's second-leading scorer in the win. He has now posted at least 16 points in three consecutive Summer League outings. Following Saturday's dominant victory, the Hornets will face the Kings in Sunday's championship game.
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Another big night in Summer League
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Knueppel posted 19 points (7-13 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), five rebounds, six assists and two steals over 29 minutes during Thursday's 106-81 Summer League win over the Spurs.
Knueppel tied for the team lead in points and assists on the way to yet another impressive showing. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Knueppel has shown in back-to-back Summer League appearances that he's ready for the next level. He should get another chance over the weekend to continue building his case for a rotation spot.
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