Warriors star Stephen Curry gave a bold take on Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.
The Charlotte Hornets fell to the Golden State Warriors, 132-125, on New Year's Eve. The Hornets are 11-22 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, but their future may be bright.
After the game, Warriors star and NBA legend Stephen Curry delivered praise for Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.
"It's impressive. For as young as he is, he plays with such composure," Curry said. "He obviously can shoot the ball at a high level, you can't leave him open at all—he just has such a good, quick release and shoots with confidence."
This is high praise for Knueppel coming from one of the best players and the greatest shooter in NBA history. Knueppel is off to a great start to his career, averaging 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. The 20-year-old is shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from three.
His scoring volume and efficiency are rare for a player, particularly one in their rookie season. He is already Charlotte's most efficient scorer, as LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges are all more inefficient.
Ball leads the team in scoring, averaging 20 points per game along with 5.3 rebounds and 8.4 assists. However, he is shooting just 39.9 percent from the floor and 35 percent from deep.
Miller has been even more inefficient, averaging 18.8 points, four rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 39 percent from the field and 32.8 percent from behind the arc.
Bridges has been slightly more efficient, but not by much, averaging 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, shooting 43 percent from the floor and 32 percent from distance.
Knueppel's efficiency has been highly impactful for the Hornets' offense. The fourth overall pick has already proven to be one of Charlotte's best players, and he is a contender for the Rookie of the Year award. He will look to beat out his Duke teammate, Cooper Flagg, for the award.
While the Hornets may still be a year or two away from making it to the Play-In Tournament or playoffs, Knueppel has established himself as a core piece of their roster.