Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller didn't mince words when he was asked about Kon Knueppel winning the Rookie of the Year Award.
Charlotte Hornets youngster Kon Knueppel has already won the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year Award.
That's at least what his teammate, Brandon Miller, thinks.
Knueppel or Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg will win the Rookie of the Year Award this season. Knueppel and Flagg were teammates at Duke last season. They were actually roommates and remain close friends.
Knueppel was named Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for February. The Duke product claimed the award for the fourth-straight month to begin his career, becoming the first player in Hornets history to win Rookie of the Month four times and the first NBA player to do so since Orlando Magic swingman Paolo Banchero in 2022-23.
Knueppel averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in February. He shot 50.3% from the field, 48.5% from beyond the arc and 82.1% from the free-throw line.
The Hornets went 8-3 in February. They are 31-31 overall on the season, good for ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Knueppel leads the NBA in 3s and is averaging 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 48.8% overall, 43.5% from 3 and 87.3% from the foul line.
With Knueppel in the fold next to Miller and LaMelo Ball, the Hornets are fun to watch again. Charles Lee's group is 11th in the NBA in points per game, 10th in points per game allowed, fourth in offensive rating, 16th in defensive rating and 10th in net rating.
Knueppel has been stellar on the offensive end for the Hornets, but Lee has been impressed with the Milwaukee native's defensive play as well.
“Defensively, you really see his basketball intelligence," Lee said, via The Athletic. “He understands player tendencies really well. He’s really able to understand how to close out: What are the angles I even need to take to closeout on somebody? If I’m shifting on somebody, at what level or depth do I need to be at? If a guy is a lesser shooter. He’s a little bit flatter in his shifts; if the guy’s a better shooter, he’s higher in his shift to not allow a direct pass to that guy."
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