Kon Knueppel takes pole position in official NBA rookie ladder

If the season ended today, it would be difficult not to award the Rookie of the Year award to Charlotte Hornets wing Kon Knueppel. He's been incredible so far, and despite this being a highly-touted rookie class, Knueppel has done better than pretty much all his peers.

That's why he sits at number one in the latest Kia NBA Rookie of the Year ladder, which is essentially an occasional snapshot of the award race. He sits at number one, though Ryan Kalkbrenner, a second-round pick, deserves a shoutout for being the fifth-best rookie so far.

But this is, for the moment, Knueppel's award to lose. He's been incredible. He is on pace to shatter the rookie record for most three pointers made in a season (206 by Keegan Murray in 2022-2023). Knueppel was expected to be good, but not this good.

NBA reporter Steve Aschburner wrote, "Knueppel was considered by some as a reach at No. 4, feeling the Duke product’s athletic skills didn’t merit that slot. But there hasn’t been a lot of criticism along those lines lately, with Knueppel showing his versatility, some on-floor leadership, and a 3-point shot that has him leading all rookies in that stat (32) through 10 games, more than anyone else since the shot was adopted by the NBA in 1979."

Nov 1, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) handles the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley (10) during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Aschburner did acknowledge that Knueppel, Sion James, Liam McNeeley, and Kalkbrenner are benefitting from the injuries to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, but they've still been excellent, with Knueppel leading the charge.

"It’s uncertain what a healthier crew will mean to the newbies’ development, but one thing is certain: an abundance of options like this has rarely been a Charlotte problem," he concluded. For once, the Hornets have some encouraging players in place of their injured stars, and while it hasn't yet led to wins for the most part, the future does look bright.

The Hornets got a little bit robbed out of the number one pick, which would've given them Cooper Flagg. However, so far, Knueppel has been everything they could've dreamed of, including better than the number one overall pick.

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