There are a number of talented rookies heading into the 2025-26 NBA season. Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, will likely be the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. However, will Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel-- the No. 4 overall pick -- earn Rookie of the Year consideration? Although he's a talented player, reporter Richie Randall isn't sure if Knueppel will draw enough attention outside of Charlotte.
"He's gonna be one of these guys, where... If you're on the outside, you're not watching the Hornets everyday, I don't think his impact will show," Randall said, via The Athletic NBA Daily. "But if you're paying attention to the Hornets and to Kon Knueppel, for whatever reason you want to, I think there's a lot of things that stand out about his game in terms of his impact."
Knueppel's shooting was immediately mentioned. He's known as someone who can consistently find the bottom of the net from beyond the arc. Knueppel's ability to read screens and move without the ball were also mentioned.
"The reason I say he might fly under the radar a little bit, like, he can handle the ball, he is not a guy that's gonna get sped up," Randall added. "He can play out of the pick-and-roll. In Vegas he did a very good job of manipulating the defense with his eyes. We saw that a lot in the Summer League. He's just gonna make the right play nine times out of 10."
Knueppel does a lot of good things on the floor. He has a chance to be an impactful player. It would not be surprising to see Knueppel become an All-Star player in the future. However, Randall does not expect Knueppel to earn serious Rookie of the Year consideration during the 2025-26 NBA campaign.
"Do I expect him to be a Rookie of the Year candidate? No, because he's not that type of player. He's not a guy that's gonna go get buckets if you need them. On a team with LaMelo (Ball), he's gonna take a backseat at times."
Knueppel may not be a dominant player, but he features the ability to positively impact the game. He works as a player to help build around LaMelo Ball. Ball should be able to rely on him to make the right plays while finding the bottom of the net from deep.
Additionally, the fact that the Hornets don't play in a large market and may be near the bottom of the standings once again won't help matters. Players like Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper play in Dallas and San Antonio -- two markets known for basketball and two teams that could make playoff runs in 2025-26.
Still, Hornets fans should be excited about Kon Knueppel regardless of whether or not he receives Rookie of the Year consideration.