Giannis Antetokounmpo shows love to Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.
Charlotte Hornets Kon Knueppel has staked his claim for the Rookie of the Year this season, putting up impressive numbers and helping the Hornets fight for a Play-In spot.
Fans have certainly taken notice of Knueppel's impressive rookie season, and so have players.
During All-Star weekend, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo offered praise for Knueppel.
"You’re probably one of the smartest rookies I’ve ever seen," Giannis told Knueppel.
He told Knueppel that he's sophisticated for a rookie and that he's only going to get better as he figures out his spots.
Giannis began the conversation by praising the rookie for noticing the bump he gives on his spin, with Knueppel saying moves like that make it hard to guard the former MVP.
Knueppel's Impressive Season
Drafted fourth overall out of Duke, Knueppel has been everything as advertised and more for the Hornets.
Praised for his shooting ability, his game has translated to the NBA as he's shooting 48% from the field and 43% from three on nearly eight attempts per game.
He shot 40% from three in college, playing at Duke alongside number one overall pick Cooper Flagg.
Knueppel is easily on pace to break the record for most threes made in a season by a rookie, which is currently held by Keegan Murray with 206.
Knueppel is sitting at 183 made threes with plenty of games remaining to not only break the record, but set a new benchmark that could be tough to attain.
Steph Curry holds the record for most threes made in a career with 4,233. That number climbs with every game he plays.
He made 166 threes in his rookie season, but went on to become the most prolific shooter in NBA history.
Family Connection
In praising Knueppel, Giannis mentioned that he could tell Knueppel grew up with brothers and an involved dad, which is something they both have in common.
Knueppel is the oldest of five boys, and both of his parents played basketball. His dad was selected four times to the All-Lake Michigan Conference as a member of Wisconsin Lutheran College, and his mom is the all-time scoring leader for the University of Wisconsin
In a feature story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, it was revealed that the family had six basketball hoops around their house.
Giannis is also one of five boys. His brothers Thanasis, Kostas, and Alex all made it to the NBA as well.