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Hornets’ Kon Knueppel achieves milestone not seen before in NBA history

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Lorenzo J Reyna, ClutchPoints | Last updated Apr 12, 2026 9:01 PM ET

The Charlotte Hornets ignited an NBA Playoffs run by adding Kon Knueppel. The No. 4 overall pick now owns league history by hitting a mark never seen before in the NBA against the New York Knicks.

League insider for ClutchPoints Brett Siegel revealed what mark Knueppel now owns.

“Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel is the first rookie in NBA history to lead the league in 3-pointers,” Siegel posted on the social media website X, formerly Twitter.

He handed Buzz City this exciting race: Knueppel and teammate LaMelo Ball dueled each other for 3-point leader. Both also hit a Steph Curry/Klay Thompson mark in the process.

KON WINS NBA 3PT RACE OVER LAMELO BY ONE THREE

LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel are the first duo with 270+ threes each in a season since Steph and Klay pic.twitter.com/RReU3h3uJH

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2026

The former Golden State Warriors teammates surpassed 270 made threes twice in the 2015-16 and 2022-23 seasons.

Knueppel banked a trio of 3-pointers in the 110-96 romp of the Knicks Sunday. He finished with 14 points through 31 minutes of action. The rookie grabbed six rebounds and dished five assists in the regular season finale.

The win creates some momentum ahead of the postseason for Charlotte. The Hornets (44-38) will enter the Eastern Conference playoffs as one of the play-in tournament representatives. Charlotte settled for the ninth spot ahead of the Miami Heat, but finish behind both the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic.

Meanwhile, has Knueppel taken the lead in the NBA Rookie of the Year race off this league-leading mark?

Former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg put together his own stout first season resume with the Dallas Mavericks. Knueppel ends up playing for the better team, however, in sparking the Hornets’ postseason berth. Still, many believe the ROTY is Flagg’s to lose. But Knueppel seals the first of what could be many 3-point titles as a pro.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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