Brandon Miller Drops Out of Top 25 Under 25 List, Kon Knueppel Rises

The one-two punch helped turn the Hornets season around.

Apr 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during the pregame entertainment before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Charlotte Hornets roster may have changed, but make no mistake, the team still has its share of star power.

If you need further proof, look no further than a recently released NBA “Notable Players Under 25” list by ESPN.  Making the cut are none other than Hornets forwards Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel. Knueppel ranked No. 17, but Miller fell out of the top 25, not because he aged out as Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey did.

📈 Brandon Miller
📈 Kon Knueppel

ESPN's list of notable NBA players under the age of 25: pic.twitter.com/dV4VKuqX2w

— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) August 5, 2026

The two making the list should come as no surprise, as their one-two punch helped turn the Hornets' 2025-2026 season around, making them one of the most fun teams to watch last year.

The 23-year-old Miller is coming off his third year in the league. He led the team in scoring with a 20.2 points per game average, while adding 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

The 21-year-old Knueppel, meanwhile, is coming off a stellar rookie campaign in which he averaged 18.5 points per game while chipping in 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He knocked down a league-best 273 three-pointers, becoming the first rookie to ever lead the league in that category.  

Together, they helped the Hornets to the play-in game for the first time in four years and upped the team’s win total by a full 25 games from the previous season.

This season, the pressure will be on to build on that effort; however, as they’ll have to do so without the services of guard LaMelo Ball and forward Miles Bridges, who were both traded in the offseason, with Ball going to Minnesota and Bridges to Phoenix.

Miller is eligible for a contract extension this summer, but all has been quiet on that front. Jeff Peterson may wait it out to see what he does in a full year where Ball isn't on the floor with him.

Other players making the cut were Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (24), Houston Rockets guard/small forward Amen Thompson (23), Detroit Pistons guard/small forward Ausar Thompson (23), Oklahoma City Thunder Center Chet Holmgren (24), Dallas Mavericks small forward Cooper Flagg (19), San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Dylan Harper (20), Detroit Pistons Center Jalen Duren (22), Atlanta Hawks small forward Jalen Johnson (24), Chicago Bulls point guard Josh Giddey (23), Chicago Bulls small forward Matas Buzelis (23), Orlando Magic power forward Paolo Banchero (23), San Antonio Spurs point guard Stephon Castle (21), San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (22), and Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard VJ Edgecombe (21).

It is important to note that all players listed will be under the age of 25 before the start of the upcoming season.

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