Despite leading the league in threes, Kon Knueppel discovered the NBA’s physicality firsthand when a bruising Andre Drummond screen provided a wake-up call.
Kon Knueppel had a rookie season most first-year players would take without hesitation.
He became one of the best young shooters in the league, helped push the Charlotte Hornets into the Play-In Tournament, and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Cooper Flagg. Still, even for a player as polished as Knueppel, the NBA has a way of delivering humbling moments.
That was the larger point behind his “welcome to the league” story.
Drummond has been in the league since 2012, has made two All-Star teams, and has built a long career off size, strength, rebounding, and physicality. He may not be in his prime anymore, but he is still a veteran big who can make an impact off of the bench and in occasional spot starts.
That is the adjustment every rookie has to make. Knueppel came into the league with a smooth jump shot and a mature offensive game, but no amount of college success fully prepares a player for the strength, speed, and experience waiting at the next level.
To his credit, Knueppel adjusted better than most. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5 percent from the field for Charlotte. He also made history as the first rookie to lead the NBA in three-pointers made, finishing with 273 threes.
There were hiccups, though. In the Play-In Tournament, Knueppel struggled with his shot, scoring just six points on 2-for-12 shooting in an overtime win over Miami before finishing with 11 points on 3-for-10 shooting in a loss to Orlando, showing that he still was just a rookie and had a long way to go before being a high-level postseason performer.
That does not make his rookie season any less impressive. The NBA is the peak of basketball. Everyone is bigger, smarter, faster, and more prepared. Adjustments do not always happen overnight, even for elite young players.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.