Kon Knueppel Remains Atop NBA.com's Rookie Ladder

The Charlotte Hornets have been dealing with plenty of negativity this season, from a 4-11 start to LaMelo Ball trade noise. They haven't made the playoffs since 2016, and it looks like that streak will continue in 2026. However, there's one bright spot that has been shining in a major way.

Kon Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, has been arguably the most spectacular rookie in the NBA thus far. The Duke product is averaging 18.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 47.3% shooting from the field and 40.3% from three. He leads first-year players in points, threes made and field goals.

So it's no surprise that Knueppel remains atop NBA.com's latest rookie ladder from Steve Aschburner. The 6-foot-7 wing has looked better every game, most recently putting up 28 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a 127-118 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

"Then there’s Knueppel, whose emergence during injury absences for relative team elders LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller opened the door to a new pecking order in Charlotte," Aschburner wrote. "Ball is back, Miller could return soon, and it will be interesting to see how K2 and the Hornets’ rookies are blended into coach Charles Lee’s mix (and vice versa)."

While Ball, Miller and Miles Bridges are impressive players, Knueppel and fellow rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner have been the most efficient of the rotation. Kalkbrenner, the 7-foot-1 center and No. 34 pick in this year's draft, is leading the league in field-goal percentage at 81.1%.

When Ball returned from an ankle injury, there was concern that his touches would take away from Knueppel's production. However, that has been far from the case. In fact, Ball hasn't been shooting the rock well, while the rookie has flourished no matter who is around him. Perhaps this will reinforce an incentive for the Hornets to trade the former All-Star and get future assets back.

What's even more impressive about Knueppel's start to his career is that he's outplaying highly-regarded talents such as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe, all selected before him. While Harper is sidelined due to injury, Edgecombe has cooled off a bit, while Flagg has had his ups and downs. Knueppel has been on a steady trajectory through his first 15 games.

Charlotte doesn't have much to smile about right now, but that could change in the future. Knueppel has been a fantastic surprise, and he's looking like a potential leader for a new era of Hornets basketball.