It is getting more and more tough to disclaim the Rookie of the Yr case for Kon Knueppel after his newest accomplishment.
Go away it to a Charlotte Hornet to steal some buzz.
Kon Knueppel additional cemented his place in Queen Metropolis royalty on Thursday night time: with the sixth of eight 3-pointers on this week’s thrashing of the Indiana Pacers, Knueppel had 207 in his fledgling NBA profession. The sensational sixth launched within the third set a brand new NBA file for rookies, passing the mark that Keegan Murray set for the Sacramento Kings in 2022.
„It is actually nearly making the correct basketball play,“ the fourth general decide of the newest draft stated after his newest accomplishment, per ESPN. „My teammates are setting good screens and setting me up in good spots. The coaches as nicely. I am simply on the market seeking to make the correct play for my group.“
It is secure to say that Knueppel, 20, has completed that after which some: the 133-109 win over the Pacers moved Charlotte to 18-9 for the reason that calendar flipped to 2026, tied with Japanese powers Boston, Cleveland, and Detroit for second-most within the Affiliation in that span. Knueppel has left a long-lasting presence on the 2026 ledgers, standing within the high 10 in each conventional (second in 3-pointers behind teammate LaMelo Ball) and superior (ninth in offensive score, min. 20 video games/minutes. per recreation) classes alike.
Congrats Kon Knueppel! He is averaging 4.7 3PT this month. If he continues to common that quantity for the remaining 22 video games, he’ll end with 312 threes as a rookie!
The 300 3PT Membership: Steph (6x), Harden, Ant, Klay & Malik Beasley
The 400 3PT Membership: Steph https://t.co/eQZwlbu9eS pic.twitter.com/V2IAPMJRFO
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 27, 2026
Kon Over Coop?
Heading into this marketing campaign, many assumed that Knueppel’s fellow former Duke Blue Satan Cooper Flagg had the Rookie of the Yr title within the bag.
The 19-year-old high decide Flagg, to his credit score, has completed little to disclaim anybody that notion, creating younger historical past at a number of stanzas. Knueppel performed witness to however one such occasion: on Jan. 29, Flagg put up a 49-point, 10-rebound double-double in opposition to the Hornets, breaking a single-game scoring file for NBA youngsters.
Flagg continues to carry down the anticipated fort because the league’s high rookie scorer and he is among the many leaders in nearly each main typical stat amongst freshmen. Knueppel, nonetheless, is making an extra identify for himself within the rookie analytical departments, rating third in internet score and fourth in efficient subject aim proportion.
At this level, Flagg and Knueppel are sharing greater than the hardwood at Cameron Indoor Stadium, successfully distancing themselves from different sterling breakouts comparable to VJ Edgecombe and Derick Queen. Postseason award voters might most likely use pen to write down their names into the highest two Rookie of the Yr slots … however nobody of their proper thoughts ought to make sure of the order fairly but.
Dallas Mavericks ahead Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard-forward Kon Knueppel have been named the Kia NBA Western and Japanese Convention Rookies of the Month, respectively, for video games performed in January. pic.twitter.com/M5N6Hej0EY
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) February 3, 2026
If the award was entitled „Most Helpful Rookie,“ Knueppel would most likely have the award locked up: he’s the most important distinction of a Hornets group burdened with the longest lively postseason drought within the Affiliation (9 seasons) and has thrust them to the cusp of the Japanese Convention bracket as holders of a Play-In Match spot.
Whereas it is maybe truthful to imagine that the triple-happy nature of the trendy Affiliation will make sure that his additional level file probably will not stand for lengthy (he wanted lower than two seasons to greatest Murray, in spite of everything), the success of Charlotte (29-31) is commonly tied to Knueppel, whose profitable field scores typically coincide with Hornet triumphs …
Stats by means of Feb. 27
Knueppel Occasion
Charlotte Document
Not less than 60 % from 3
7-3
Not less than 2 steals
6-2
Not less than +10
20-0
No Turnovers
6-3
True Capturing % at the least 80
8-4
That is a stark distinction to the rising pains that Flagg has endured on the meandering Mavericks, who primarily broke out a white flag on the commerce deadline. Clearly that is not Flagg’s fault—he wasn’t the one who known as Rob Pelinka about Luka Dončić’s availability one winter in the past—however it’d be removed from truthful to disclaim Knueppel some {hardware} based mostly purely on future. Whereas there’s debate over whether or not the true face of the Hornets‘ success must be Knueppel or tenured stinger LaMelo Ball, his affect has not gone unnoticed amongst Queen Metropolis management.
“He has this bravado, this façade, the place he doesn’t offer you a lot. He stays even-keeled. However he’s a f—ing killer,” lauded Hornets head coach Charles Lee in a profile from Mirin Fader of The Athletic. „Defensively, you actually see his basketball intelligence. He understands participant tendencies very well. He’s actually capable of perceive shut out.“
“He additionally does a extremely good job of understanding get to contest and do it with out fouling,” Lee additional professed to Fader. “Most guys wish to chill out. Even when his man doesn’t crash (the boards), he’s coming in to get a success on anyone else’s man, to verify they’re nearly sandwiching that particular person to allow them to’t stand up.”
On the similar time, Flagg’s flag-bearers will equally (and pretty) argue that he must also keep away from unfair punishment. The true reality of the matter is that voters‘ hand could also be pressured: Flagg is at present flagged with a foot sprain that has saved him off the ground for 2 weeks.
Who Will Win the NBA ROY Award?
As Dallas‘ state of affairs additional deteriorates (six video games out of the ultimate Western Play-In spot coming into the weekend), there is a lingering sense that it will be higher to easily hold him out of hurt’s manner relatively than go gunning for an award that his de facto delegates within the voting realms would most likely be completely satisfied to provide him anyway. That opens the door even additional for Knueppel, who feels assured to at the least play an 83rd recreation, one which few, if any, envisioned the Hornets getting firstly of the yr.
The Rookie of the Yr title isn’t beholden to the 65-game rule that has develop into a speaking level within the MVP, All-NBA, and Defensive Participant of the Yr discourse but when Flagg stays stationed at 49 video games performed, that is going to create some polled awkwardness. Solely six rookies have earned the title taking part in lower than 60 video games in a full marketing campaign, the final being Brandon Roy in 2007.
In any occasion, there is no doubt drama added to the ROTY race that few, if any, envisioned being current firstly of the yr. Each Flagg and Knueppel emerge as plain winners, as does the league at massive: the headlining contributions of lively rookies little question enthuses an Affiliation craving for main contributions from its middle-of-the-pack squads amidst accusations of tanking.
On the particular person degree, nonetheless, there can solely be one, and if the league really desires to spotlight victorious contributions and a real particular person affect, there can be far worse fates than Knueppel tearing down Flagg, at the least quickly.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
