Hornets’ Kon Knueppel hits 1,000 points in a historic rookie campaign

Despite a massive third-quarter brawl that resulted in five ejections, Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel had a record-setting night. He became the first rookie this season to reach the 1,000-point milestone in just 53 games.

The feat came in the Hornets' Monday game against Pistons, where Knueppel put up a 20-point performance, pushing his career total to 1,003 points and making him the fourth-fastest player to reach 1,000 career points since 2020, trailing only Zion Williamson (44 games), Victor Wembanyama (49 games), and Paolo Banchero (51 games).

Sensational rookie Kon Knueppel reaches the thousand points mark

The Hornets hosted the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center on Monday, and Knueppel reached a historic milestone as a rookie to cross the 1,000 points mark in the 2025-26 NBA campaign.

He ended the match with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists while going 6-of-13 from the floor and 5-of-11 from the arc. His brilliance from the 3-point line has placed this rookie amongst the elite. With a 42.8% efficiency from beyond the arc, Knueppel has made 174 three-pointers since starting this season, while also recording the NBA’s most 3-pointers made in 50 games with 166.

As of early February, the 6'6" forward is averaging 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while maintaining a 48.5% field goal percentage.

His career-high performance came against the Dallas Mavericks on January 29, where he sank 8-of-12 three-pointers, a franchise record for a Charlotte rookie, and dropped in 34 points.

Kon Knueppel's impact on 2006 ROTY race

The race for the 2026 Wilt Chamberlain Trophy (Rookie of the Year) has tightened as Knueppel remains neck-and-neck with Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg. While Flagg currently took over the first spot in this week’s rookie ladder with an average of 20.3 points per game, Knueppel's total point accumulation and efficient shooting have kept him at par with Mavs’ rookie.

Knueppel’s shooting consistency also earned him an invitation to the 2026 NBA Three-Point Contest and a starting spot in the Rising Stars Challenge.

The Hornets are currently at 10th in the East with a 25-29 record. The 110-104 loss to Pistons broke their 9-game winning streak. As the season enters the 50 game stretch, Knueppel's ability to maintain this scoring volume will be critical for both his individual accolades and Charlotte's postseason aspirations.