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Oct 29, 2026 7:18 PM
Former Duke star Kon Knueppel could play soon.
Former Duke star Kon Knueppel hasn't played for the Charlotte Hornets this season because of an injury.
That could change soon.
The Hornets announced on Thursday that they have assigned Knueppel to their G League for a practice. That usually means a player is ready to return soon.
Even though Knueppel didn't win the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year award, he still had a special season for the Hornets. The sharpshooter averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game and shot 47.5% from the field, 42.5% from beyond the arc and 86.3% from the free-throw line and led the NBA in 3-pointers.
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Knueppel claimed the first four Rookie of the Month awards last season, becoming the first Hornet ever to win the award four times.
Here is what else Knueppel accomplished last season, via the Hornets:
- At age 20, became the only player in NBA history age 22 or younger to record 250 3PM in a season against New York (March 26).
- Passed Michael Jordan for the NBA rookie record for most games with 20+ points on 65% true shooting (27) against Miami (March 6) in his then-rookie-leading 14th 25-point game.
- Set an NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season (207) with a career-high-tying and franchise-rookie-record-tying 8 3PM at Indiana (Feb. 26); Knueppel tied his own franchise rookie record.
- Set a new NBA record for most games with 5+ 3PM by a rookie with 14 at Atlanta (Feb. 7).
- Broke the rookie record for most games with 20+ points on 50/40/90 shooting splits (12) against Golden State (Dec. 31), previously set by Stephen Curry.
- Knueppel is one of three rookies in NBA history (min. 25 games played) to average 15 points and 5 rebounds per game and shoot 40% from 3-point range; the other two are Larry Bird and Paul Pierce.
In his one season at Duke, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 47.9% from the field, 40.6% from 3 and 91.4% from the foul line.
Duke went 35-4 in 2024-25. They lost to Houston in the National Semifinal, 70-67.
Knueppel and Cooper Flagg were roommates at Duke. Now they are both rising stars in the NBA.
Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in his lone season at Duke. The Maine native's best game in college was against Notre Dame on January 11, 2025. He had 42 points, six rebounds and seven assists.
The Dallas Mavericks selected Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg appeared in 70 games during his rookie season with the Mavericks. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 46.8% from the field, 29.5% from beyond the arc and 82.7% from the free-throw line.
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