The Charlotte Hornets have made great strides towards becoming a playoff team, and a big reason for that is Hornets rookie Kon Nueppel. Under the leadership of their Rookie of the Year candidate, the Hornets have climbed up the Eastern Conference standings.
Knuppel was one of the league's best rookies this season, and came into Thursday night's game with a chance to make NBA history. Knueppel entered the game against the Indiana Pacers with 201 three-pointers in his rookie season, just five three-pointers away from tying Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray for most three-pointers in a rookie season.
In the 2022–23 regular season, Murray recorded 206 three-pointers in 80 games as a rookie for the Kings. This season, Kon Knueppel made a total of 201 three-pointers in only 58 regular season games with the Hornets.
With his fifth three-pointer of the game, all of which came in the first half, Knueppel tied Keegan Murray's rookie record for three-pointers in a season.
Con Knueppel made his sixth three-pointer of the night with 1:05 remaining in the third quarter, giving him 207 three-pointers on the season.
Charlotte led Indiana 107–82 after three quarters of play. Knuppel had 20 points and three rebounds in three quarters of play. Brandon Miller led all scorers with 33 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Most 3-pointers made by a rookie in a single season in NBA history:
🔹207 — Kon Knueppel (59 GP)
🔸206 - Keegan Murray (80 GP)Congratulations to the Hornets newbie 👏pic.twitter.com/7DaOXTapaP
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) 27 February 2026
Hornets guard Kon Knueppel has passed Keegan Murray for most 3-pointers in a rookie season.
1. Kon Knuppel - 207 (59 games)
2. Keegan Murray - 206 (80 games)
3. Donovan Mitchell 187 (79 games) pic.twitter.com/lg7AeKs66A-Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) 27 February 2026
In his first season in the NBA, Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, while shooting 48.9 percent from the field, 43.6 percent from three and 89.3 percent from the free throw line. This is the most efficient season by any player scoring more than 15 points per night in NBA history.
The Hornets were 12 games under .500 at 11–23 on January 2, 2026. Since that loss against the Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte has gone 17-8, one of the better records in the league. Now sitting at 28-31 after winning seven of their last 10 games, the Hornets have a very good chance to be one of the four play-in teams and an outside chance to climb into the top six in the Eastern Conference.
The Hornets are currently just one game ahead of the 10th-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the West and just 4.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers.
