Everyone fell in love with Kon Knueppel during his one season with the Duke Blue Devils, and then fell even harder when he brought all of his brothers with him to the NBA Draft when he was selected fourth overall by the Charlotte Hornets.
Since then, he captured the attention of the rest of the nation as he led the Hornets to their Summer League title, and he certainly hasn't slowed down as the regular season has unfolded.
In fact, he has been playing so well that he is second in the entire league for made three-point shots this season, eight three-pointers ahead of legendary sharpshooter Steph Curry.
Kon Knueppel may just deserve ROY
With 89 made three-point shots this season, Knueppel only trails veteran Donovan Mitchell, who has made 101 three-point field goals so far.
Top 5 NBA players in total 3-point field goals made so far this season:
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) December 14, 2025
1. Donovan Mitchell – 101
2. Kon Knueppel – 89 👌
3. James Harden – 85
4. Tyrese Maxey – 84
5. Steph Curry – 81 pic.twitter.com/nv5lWerqpK
The former Blue Devil has averaged a highly impressive 19 points per game, alongside 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks per appearance.
In comparison, during his freshman (and only) season at Duke, he averaged 14.4 points, four rebounds, 2.7 assists, one steal, and 0.2 blocks per game. So, in nearly every single stat column, Knueppel has only improved while playing at the next level.
That isn't common. Even Duke star Cooper Flagg, who was picked first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, has seen a drop in points, rebounds, and assists per game throughout the first half of his rookie season when compared to his singular season of college basketball for the Blue Devils.
With his consistency for a Hornets squad that is struggling to find its footing, Knueppel has undeniably made his case for the Rookie of the Year award, despite Charlotte's 8-18 overall record.
Currently, Flagg is still the frontrunner for the ROY with -160 odds, followed by Knueppel with +160 odds, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. However, if Knueppel continues to excel the way he has through the first 26 games, it would be difficult to pick his former Duke teammate over him.
Up next, Knueppel and the Hornets are set to face the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 7 p.m. ET. Duke and Charlotte fans alike will be able to tune into FanDuel Sports Network or NBA League Pass to see the former Blue Devil in action.