Kon Knueppel Shines in Hornets' Biggest Win of the Season

The Charlotte Hornets are starting to show signs of life with a 13-23 record this season. On the surface, that isn't impressive, but they're just three games out of the Play-In Tournament and boast a plethora of young talent starting to blossom into a talented core.

Most recently, the Hornets made their biggest statement of the season, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night, 124-97. It wasn't just a win, it was a blowout, and Charlotte dominated on both ends of the floor.

While Brandon Miller led the way with 28 points, rookie sensation Kon Knueppel wasn't far behind, putting up 23 points, five rebounds and five assists. He shot 8-for-13 from the field and 5-for-7 from three.

The 6-foot-7 wing displayed what he has been doing all season long: scoring with extreme efficiency. He's currently averaging 19.5 points on 48-44-88 shooting splits, as one of the favorites to win Rookie of the Year.

Against the reigning champions, Knueppel looked like a veteran, getting the rim while also showing off elite range. He has been so good in limiting useless dribbles and putting himself in a position to score both on and off the ball. He contributed to winning basketball on Monday night against what many consider to be the NBA's best team.

Charlotte Hornets - 77 Shallow

Kon Knueppel and Sion James as ball handlers

PJ Hall in the dunker or spacing, putting Chet Holmgren into tough spots as back-line helper pic.twitter.com/b8dU41RFo3
— Brian Geisinger (@bgeis_bird) January 6, 2026

There were a few mistakes, as the 19-year-old committed five turnovers, but that's expected for a rookie. It was actually unusual for Knueppel, as he's averaging 2.5 per game this season.

The Hornets have now won six of their last 11 games, with a bit of a streaky month. They're expected to be near the top of the lottery, but Charlotte has been taking the steps to build a bright future, and Knueppel is headlining it right now.

According to databallr, when the former Duke star is on the floor, the Hornets post a 117.5 offensive rating, 117.8 defensive rating and -0.3 net rating. When he's not out there, those numbers drop to a 114.6 offensive rating, 121.1 defensive rating and -6.5 net rating.

Knueppel's impact has been crystal clear, but former college teammate Cooper Flagg is the only one standing in his way of the Rookie of the Year award. Flagg has put together an impressive season of his own, and the Dallas Mavericks share the same 13-23 record. The two lit it up in December, which resulted in both of them taking home Rookie of the Month honors.