Kon Knueppel earns NBA All-Rookie First Team nod

CHARLOTTE HORNETS

Kon Knueppel, who led the NBA in 3-point shots made with 273 to set a Charlotte Hornets record, was named First Team All-Rookie.

Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel capped his first NBA season with a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.

Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in the 2025 draft, had an immediate impact, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game to finish second to Dallas’ Cooper Flagg in Rookie of the Year voting.

In addition to Knueppel and Flagg, V.J. Edgecomb (Philadelphia), Cedric Coward (Memphis) and Dylan Harper (San Antonio) were named to the first team.

Knueppel, who started 80 of 81 games played and became the first rookie in league history to lead the NBA in 3-point shots made with Hornets’ record 273, topped all rookies in 20-point games with 36. He earned four straight Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards, the most in franchise history. 

Knueppel created more NBA rookie history by becoming the third to average 15 points and five rebounds per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range (Larry Bird and Paul Pierce); Michael Jordan’s mark for most games with 20-plus points on 65% true shooting (32), and Stephen Curry’s standard for most games with 20-plus points on 50/40/90 shooting splits with 21. Knueppel is the only player in Charlotte history to average 18 points per game on 63 percent true shooting in a season.

Knueppel is the seventh Hornet to earn First-Team All-Rookie and the first since Brandon Miller in 2023-24. He joins Miller and LaMelo Ball as First-Team All-Rookie picks on Charlotte’s roster.

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