Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel continues his strong campaign to win the Rookie of the Year award. Knueppel has been one of the most outstanding rookies in the NBA, and he's one of the reasons why the Hornets could return to the postseason this year. On Thursday, Charlotte extended their win streak to five games, beating the New York Knicks, 114-103.
With 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, the former Duke standout nearly achieved a triple-double. It was the first time in his career that he had at least 25 points and 10 rebounds. Knueppel led the team in points, rebounds, assists and 3-pointers made.
Knueppel maintained his outstanding long-range performance by shooting 6-for-10 from beyond the arc. On X, his 3-point milestone was recognized by the NBA.
Kon Knueppel Reaches 250 3-Pointers Made
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Knueppel leads the league in 3-pointers made with 253. Before the game against the Knicks, he had 247, and he had a milestone after his third shot from downtown. He was recognized on X as the youngest player to record at least 250 3-pointers. The Hornets star is the only player under 22 who has accomplished this.
"Knueppel (252 3PM) is the only player age 22 or younger in NBA history to record 250 3PM in a season!" the league posted.
With the Hornets' recent win, they are now tied with the Orlando Magic at the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with a 39-34 record. Charlotte is fighting for a spot in the Play-In Tournament this season. If they secure that and make it to the playoffs, it will be the first time for the franchise since 2016.
After the contest, Knueppel addressed the fight that his team has been having this season. The Hornets are determined to make it to the postseason, and the young forward said the team wants to give itself a chance in the playoffs.
“We want to play in big-time games. This is a big-time game,” Knueppel said. “The rest of these games for us are big-time, playoff-like games. They determine our seeding, and we want to give ourselves the best chance we can for the playoffs.”
Since March, the Hornets have a record of 9-3. The team's determination has paid off, and they are close to their 40th win of the 2025-26 season. It will be the first time that Charlotte will reach the 40-win mark. The last time they reached that feat was during the 2021-22 season when they won 43 games.
