The Charlotte Hornets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and sit inside the postseason picture as the No. 9 team in the Eastern Conference. Kon Knueppel remains a huge reason for their recent success, and he reached another rookie milestone on March 4.
Kon Knueppel Ties Michael Jordan With an Amazing Offensive Statistic
The Charlotte Hornets blew out the Boston Celtics 118-89 last night for their sixth straight victory. Knueppel totaled 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range. His incredible efficiency as a three-level scorer put him in the rookie record books with arguably the greatest player of all time.
The Hornets’ rookie tied Jordan for the most games by a rookie in NBA history with 20+PTS [and] 65%+ TS. “TS” stands for true shooting percentage, which combines a player’s general field goal percentage and free-throw efficiency.
Knueppel has already recorded 27 games with this stat line. With 19 games left, the 20-year-old certainly has enough time to pass Jordan, given his consistency over the campaign. Knueppel averages 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He shoots 48.8% from the field and 43.6% from beyond the arc on 8.0 attempts per game.
Knueppel came off the bench in his second-career game on Oct. 25, but he started every game he played since. Early injuries to Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball forced him into a larger offensive role in November with a 22.1% usage.
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The rookie scored 19.9 points per game in November compared to 13.8 in October. Knueppel has carried over a 22.0% usage every month since and averaged over 20 points per game twice.
Knueppel owns all four Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards from October/November through February.
This shows remarkable consistency. It often takes time for most rookies to find their rhythm, but the Hornets’ guard hit the ground running immediately. The fourth pick in last year’s draft almost increased his 14.4 college scoring average by a full five points.
Knueppel’s Offensive Versatility Adds to the Hornets’ Lethal Offense
Coming out of Duke University, many draft analysts labeled him as the best shooter in the 2025 NBA draft. He shot 40.6% from deep on 5.3 attempts in his lone college campaign. However, Knueppel is more than just an elite catch-and-shoot threat. He can put the ball on the floor and operate as the ball handler in pick-and-roll situations.
Ball, Miller, and Knueppel all shoot the lights out from deep and handle the rock. This makes it extremely tough for opposing defenses to hide weaker defensive players.
Miles Bridges, while not the same shooter as his other three teammates, consistently puts pressure on the rim. Charlotte ranks fourth in offensive rating at 117.8, and it does not look like they will slow down any time soon.
