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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Season-high eight rebounds
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Shifts to bench on Saturday
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Moving to bench vs. Philadelphia
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Will start vs. Memphis
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Leads Hornets with 18 points
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Scores 21 in SL championship
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Another big night in Summer League
Rotowire
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.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Notches double-double
Rotowire
Knueppel finished with 16 points (5-10 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 3-4 FT), 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block over 26 minutes in Monday's 87-69 Summer League win over the Mavericks.
Knueppel returned to action Monday after missing Saturday's game with a lingering ankle injury, knocking down three three-pointers and posting a double-double. He impressed as a freshman at Duke last season, averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc over 39 total games. The rookie projects as a plug-and-play contributor for the Hornets this season.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Cleared to play Monday
Rotowire
Knueppel (ankle) is available for Monday's Summer League game against the Mavericks.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 Draft, Knueppel sat out Saturday's win over Philadelphia as part of a buildup following a pre-draft ankle injury, but he'll return to game action Monday. The 19-year-old posted five points (1-8 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 3-6 FT), four assists, one rebound and one steal across 30 minutes in Friday's win over the Spurs.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Ruled out Saturday
Rotowire
Knueppel (ankle) won't play in Saturday's Summer League matchup against the 76ers, Nick Carboni of WCNC Charlotte reports.
Knueppel will miss the second night of the club's back-to-back set as part of a buildup following a pre-draft ankle injury. However, he's expected to suit up in Monday's game against the Mavericks. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft struggled in Friday's win over the Spurs, posting five points (1-8 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 3-6 FT), four assists, one rebound and one steal across 30 minutes.
... See More... See Less
Hornets' Kon Knueppel: Selected by Hornets at No. 4
Rotowire
Knueppel was selected by the Hornets with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Knueppel is one of the best shooters in the draft and was lauded for his feel of the game. The 6-foot-7 Duke product impressed off the dribble, using his strong frame to displace defenders and high processing speed to make timely passes. He figures to be an excellent connector piece from Day 1, filling in at the small forward slot between Brandon Miller (wrist) and Miles Bridges (hip). While Knueppel won't have the ball in his hand much -- Miller and LaMelo Ball (ankle) should eat up usage -- he excels at contributing off the ball through cutting and running around off-ball screens as a shooting threat. There are some question marks about how Knueppel will hold up on the defensive end, but his length and high IQ could make up for what he may lack athletically.
