Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel ranked as a Top 5 Rookie of the Year candidate

After one season at Duke and some great workouts with teams, Kon Knueppel rocketed up draft boards and positioned himself to be selected inside the top five of the 2025 NBA draft.

The Charlotte Hornets loved him so much that they took him with the fourth overall pick, becoming the guy that they identified as the next young player who would help them turn into a contender to make the playoffs.

Knueppel was clearly the best shooter in the draft, but his athleticism and defense are two areas critics are concerned with. Still, his ability to knock down shots reigns supreme when you slide him in between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

Expectations are high for Knueppel nationally, just as much as it is locally. Bleacher Report recently tabbed him No. 5 in their top 10 Rookie of the Year candidates prior to Summer League. Charlotte would love to see Knueppel be able to be in the discussion for the Rookie of the Year when the season is over, because it would mean that his three-point shooting translated to the NBA game.

Knueppel will be able to benefit from all of the attention paid to Ball and Brandon Miller, and they should be able to generate open shots for him, but he can also create his own shot off the dribble, too.

In his lone season at Duke, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points, four rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He shot 47.9 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the three-point arc.

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