Kon Knueppel had a fantastic season for the Charlotte Hornets during the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Charlotte started the season 4-13 and appeared to be on its way to a fourth straight sub-.500 record. Instead, the Hornets started buzzing, going 40-25 the rest of the year to earn a spot in the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament.
Knueppel was a large reason for Charlotte’s turnaround. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 18.5 points per game, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 81 games in his rookie season. The Wisconsin Lutheran High School graduate was an electric shooter, going 42.5% from behind the arc while averaging 6.4 made three-pointers per game.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Knueppel made a total of 273 threes on the season, which barely edged out teammate LaMelo Ball’s 272. The number also shattered Sacramento Kings guard Keegan Murray’s previous rookie record (206 in 2022-23). Typically, a rookie season like that would lead to an inevitable 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year Award for the Hornets guard, but the award has been the subject of contentious debate.
The Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, is the reason. The 6-foot-9 forward had a sensational season, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in 70 games. Flagg provided strong defense and highlight-reel dunks all year and has made the Rookie of the Year Award a toss-up heading into awards season.
On Tuesday, The Sporting News announced it had selected Knueppel for the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award. The Sporting News was established in 1886 and is considered the oldest surviving sports publication in the United States. The publication has morphed since its primarily baseball-centric origin and has been one of the most respected sports publications in the United States for a century. Although it ceased print operations in 2012, it remains and operates as a global digital sports media company.
"Kon Knueppel is The Sporting News Rookie of the Year 🏆," The Sporting News wrote on X. "He was a key reason why the Hornets were able to improve by a stunning 25 wins..." - @StephNoh"
The 2025-26 NBA Awards are released during the 2026 NBA Playoffs, typically later in late April and May.
