標籤: Knuppel

On Tuesday evening, the Charlotte Hornets will host the Sacramento Kings as they look to continue their home winning streak. Kon Knueppel is on the injury report for the Hornets, currently listed as probable for the game due to lower back soreness. Here’s everything we know about Knueppel’s injury and his playing status against the Kings.

Kon Knueppel’s playing status against the Kings on Tuesday

Given his probable designation on the injury report, it seems more likely that Kon Nueppel will be able to suit up for the Hornets on Tuesday against the Kings. Knueppel played in Charlotte’s last game, a home blowout over the Memphis Grizzlies, and is putting together an excellent first season in the NBA, being viewed by many as the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award over former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg.

The Kings have a crowded injury report for this game, as Nick Clifford, Drew Eubanks, De’Andre Hunter, Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis and Russell Westbrook are already out with various injuries. Meanwhile, Precious Achiuwa and Killian Hayes are listed as questionable, while Dequan Plowden is likely with a sore right foot.

Overall, the Hornets are starting to move closer to the play-in standings in the Eastern Conference due to their current five-game losing streak to the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic, although their chances of finishing in the top six of the Eastern Conference are beginning to diminish as the season reaches its home stretch.

It is extremely important that Service takes care of business against tank teams like the Charlotte Kings to maintain his standing in the standings.

Tipoff for the Hornets vs. Kings matchup is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET.

Con Knueppel and Cooper Flagg have been two of the best rookies in their class, and have made great strides in their games since their days at Duke. But the bond the two of them have goes beyond basketball, with the Charlotte Hornets guard revealing a very interesting thing about his friendship with the Dallas Mavericks forward.

In an appearance on The Ryan Russillo Podcast, the Hornets rookie highlighted why basketball is rarely mentioned whenever he meets up with his former Duke teammates.

“When we talk it’s less about basketball and more about where you’re living? How often does your family come over? How are you? You know, those types of things. Which is nice and sustainable,” Knueppel shared.

In friendship, shop talk is part of catching up. But for Knueppel, he knows his friendship with Flagg isn’t just focused on their livelihood. They are lifelong friends who have been connected to each other since their college days, and the Hornets guard is very happy that he has such a friendship with Flagg.

Hornets’ Kon Knueppel and Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg compete for rookie supremacy

At this point, Knueppel looks to be the front-runner for the 2026 Rookie of the Year award. For starters, he has been consistent and healthy for the Hornets for most of the season. Furthermore, the Hornets are playing winning basketball; Although they’ve fallen below .500 once again, the fact that they’ve been in the playoff picture to begin with is a big win.

Meanwhile, Flagg has faced growing pains, and has missed a lot of playing time due to injuries. The Mavericks being a lottery team may also be at a disadvantage in terms of winning the Rookie of the Year award.

Whatever the case, this much is true: Knueppel and Flagg know there are things bigger than basketball, and their friendship is one of them.

The Charlotte Hornets demolished the Boston Celtics 118-89 on Wednesday at TD Garden. In the process, the Hornets continued to rise and according to Basket News, Kon Knueppel has officially made NBA history by joining Michael Jordan in an elite club after scoring 20 points.

“Such a performance allowed Knueppel to tie Michael Jordan for the most games in NBA history with at least 20 points and at least 65% true shooting,” Basket News wrote on its website.

It was the sixth consecutive win for the Hornets, who are now 32–31, and in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Knueppel has been the star of the show, averaging 19.2 points per game while shooting 48.8% from the field, including 43.6% from the triple. On Wednesday, he had 20 points on 7 of 14 shooting, including 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.

Knueppel recently made history with three-point transformations and Charlotte is proving to be a force to be reckoned with. Along with Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball, these three have given the Hornets momentum and helped improve the team’s standing after the Hornets went just 19-63 last season. Knueppel has achieved a shooting mark that only Jordan has achieved in his rookie season.

The Hornets took Knueppel with the fourth overall pick before the start of the 2025–26 season. Since then, he has battled his former college roommate Cooper Flagg in the battle for the Rookie of the Year award. Although that race isn’t scheduled, there’s something else Knueppel can accomplish that Flagg can’t.

Currently, the Hornets are striving for a playoff spot. If they finish in the top six, they will automatically get a berth. If they finish anywhere between seventh and 10th, they will qualify for the play-in place. The Hornets have not made the playoffs since the 2015–16 season. Their next game will be on Friday against the Miami Heat, the team directly ahead of them in the standings.

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel are likely the early favorites to win this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year award. With the Dallas Mavericks set to play the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, March 3, we could have a potential showdown between the two rookie events.

However, according to Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Sports, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd suggested that Flagg not participate in that contest. If that’s the case, the 19-year-old rookie is likely to miss at least the team’s next three games.

When Kidd was asked if Flagg would be available for the Mavericks’ game against the Hornets, he said, “Probably not.”

The Mavericks have been playing without Cooper Flagg for the past five games, his sixth consecutive missed game on Friday when Dallas faces the Memphis Grizzlies. He recently had a walking boot removed, indicating progression of a sprain in the middle of his left foot. However, Flagg remains out of the lineup.

When healthy, Flagg has been solid for the Mavericks in his rookie year. Through 49 games played, the former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 48.2% from the floor and 30.2% from beyond the three-point line.

He is in direct competition with Kon Knueppel for the Rookie of the Year award, as the Hornets’ star has become an instant star for the club. Knueppel, who was Flagg’s teammate in college at Duke, averaged 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. He also has a 49.1% field goal percentage and 44.2% three-point percentage in 59 games played.

The Golden State Warriors suffered a huge loss in their matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night. To recap, the Warriors were missing Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis and Draymond Green, plus a long-term injury sidelined Jimmy Butler for an extended period of time. Even their leading scorer had to sit out for the second consecutive night in De’Anthony Melton’s loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night.

But the Warriors still got back to winning ways; It was a team effort that led to the Dubs’ 133–112 win on the road. Eight different players scored in double figures for the Warriors, and it was rookie guard Will Richard who finished the night as the team’s leading scorer with 21 points on 9-15 shooting from the field and 2-6 shooting from deep.

Richard finished with five rebounds, six assists and three steals to round out a fine effort to lead the Warriors to the win. In doing so, Richard became the fourth rookie to have at least 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals in a single game this season, joining Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Jeremiah Fears as the only players to do so, according to WillRichardMuse on X (formerly Twitter).

It has to be said that the absence of some key players for the Dubs gave Richard a chance to fill up the stat sheet. However, he has shown time and again that he can step up when given the opportunity, and that is exactly what he did.

Warriors’ troubles are increasing amid difficult weather

The hits have kept coming for the Warriors; Curry is currently dealing with a knee injury, and the man he got in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga hasn’t been able to play a few games in a row during his ongoing bout with POTS.

The Warriors will need more from their undrafted players these games, and if Richard can maintain this level of play he should earn himself more minutes.

It appears that the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year battle is a race between the two horses of Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Nueppel.

But for former NBA guard Jeff Teague, it’s already been decided.

Watching Knuppel highlight highlights in the Hornets’ 131-99 win against the Chicago Bulls on the road on Tuesday, Teague said that “if he [Knueppel] Not Rookie of the Year, he was robbed. They [are] actually winning the game, that [is] Average 20 marks.”

In that game against the Bulls, Knueppel scored 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting from the field with three 3-pointers, while hitting all four of his attempts from the free-throw line in 23 minutes of action.

Knueppel has certainly attracted more attention among rookies with his play recently, and especially with Flagg sidelined with a foot injury that has kept him from playing since the NBA All-Star break.

Cooper Flagg himself hasn’t been too shaky in his first season in the league, as the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been putting up big numbers for the Mavericks when healthy. However, his former Duke Blue Devils teammates are giving him a run for his money in the ROY race.

In fact, Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in 2025, leads all newcomers entering Wednesday with 2.4 VORP (value over replacement player), while Flagg is second with 1.4.

Knueppel also leads all first-year players in points and win shares. And for what it’s worth, he’s 1-0 against Flagg this season, as the Hornets beat Dallas on Jan. 29, in a game best remembered for an incredible duel between the two former Duke teammates, in which Knueppel scored 34 points and Cooper Flagg added 49.

Still, there’s plenty of basketball left to play this season to make this compelling Rookie of the Year race even more interesting.