The Charlotte Hornets walked away from the season with just one piece of hardware, but it was a meaningful one. Moussa Diabate earned the NBA Hustle Award—an honor that perfectly captures the identity this young Hornets team is trying to build.
Kon Knueppel, however, should have added Rookie of the Year to the trophy case. He outperformed Cooper Flagg as a pure shooter all season, but a delayed voting process and a late season slump cost him the award. Even so, Knueppel could be on the verge of achieving something Flagg won’t come close to next year: joining the exclusive 50‑40‑90 club.
With Knueppel’s current trajectory, it’s not a matter of if, but more of when for his distinguished entry.
Kon Knueppel is simply a better shooter than Cooper Flagg
Pound for pound, Knueppel is the far superior shooter to Flagg, and the numbers make that impossible to dispute. Here are their numbers for the 2025-26 regular season:
Knueppel: 18.5 PPG — 47.5 FG%, 42.5 3P%, 86.3 FT%, 63.3 TS%
Flagg: 21.0 PPG — 46.8 FG%, 29.5 3P%, 82.7 FT%, 54.8 TS%
The differences in efficiency are stark. Flagg averages a few more points per game, but the efficiency gap is enormous.
The Flagg proponents will make the argument that he’s asked to carry the offensive load for his team. While that’s true, shooting under 30 percent from beyond the arc simply doesn’t cut it in today’s NBA. You can still be somewhat of an efficient scorer leading your team.
Knueppel already looks like a top five shooter in the league
According to StatMuse, Knueppel posted the highest true shooting percentage (63.3%) of any rookie averaging 15+ points with 50+ games played. In his first year, he didn’t just meet expectations, he shattered them and set a new standard for scoring efficiency.
That’s why he’s already one of the Hornets’ most untradable players. His ceiling is still rising, and if he builds on this foundation, he could cement himself as a top five shooter in the NBA as soon as next season. A 50‑40‑90 campaign is well within reach since he was just knocking on that door this year.
Flagg, meanwhile, with his sub‑30 percent three‑point shooting and only solid free‑throw numbers, won’t be entering that club anytime soon. Rookie of the Year would’ve been a nice accolade for Knueppel, but joining a fraternity of just nine players in NBA history is a far more prestigious milestone.
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