Why Kon Knuepel still feels like a rookie despite a strong start

Charlotte Hornets wing Kon Knuepel has had a fantastic start to his rookie season. Selected fourth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke, he has been transformed into one of Charlotte’s top scoring threats.

In 25 games this season, Knueppel averaged 18.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while logging 33.6 minutes. He was extremely efficient for a first-year player, shooting 46.6% from the field and 40.3% from three-point range. Since the start of December, he has scored in double figures in seven straight games and is averaging 19.8 points per game, making 36.9% of his three-point attempts. His consistency has made him an integral part of the Hornets’ young core, providing spacing and off-the-ball creativity that pairs perfectly with guards LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

Knuppel’s potential was on full display in the Hornets’ matchup against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night. In the 129-126 loss, he scored a career-high 33 points on 12-of-21 shooting to go along with five rebounds and a career-high nine assists in 36 minutes. The 20-year-old also hit five 3-pointers, joining Ball as just the second rookie in Hornets history to go 30-5-5 with at least five 3-pointers. Miles Bridges also contributed with 32 points and seven assists. Miller had 18 points, five rebounds and four assists as Charlotte remained competitive without Ball, Tre Mann and Collin Sexton.

“Yeah, I still feel like a rookie,” Knueppel said after the loss in Chicago, when asked if still feels like a newbie after 25 games under his tutelage. “I’m still figuring things out, I’m still relying on my teammates, especially things off the court, I’m trying to figure everything out in my life, so I definitely still feel like a rookie.”

🎙 Kon Knuepel: “I definitely still feel like a beginner.”

“…I’m still figuring things out. I’m still leaning on my teammates, especially things off the court, trying to figure everything out in my life.” pic.twitter.com/2G34VgH5ke

— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) December 13, 2025

Charlotte native Patrick Williams, Zach Collins and Isaac Okoro led the Bulls’ balanced attack, helping the team snap a seven-game losing streak. The Hornets’ inability to close out the game was due in part to them giving up 80 points, including 30 in the fourth quarter, even as they shot 43.2 percent from three on 16 of 37 attempts, their best since Nov. 10. Knuepel nearly tied the game in the dying seconds, but the Bulls held off a successful challenge.

Off the field, Knuepel has already earned recognition, receiving the Kia Rookie of the Month award for October and November. ESPN also ranked him 17th on its NBA Top 25 Players Under 25 list, making him one of four rookies to appear, ahead of fellow first-year guards VJ Edgecombe and Dylan Harper.

While Charlotte currently sits 12th in the Eastern Conference, Knuppel’s combination of scoring, playmaking and defensive awareness has made him a bright spot for the Hornets as they look to develop their young core.