Now that the All-Star break is over, the Charlotte Hornets can focus on the remainder of the regular season. Many eyes will certainly be fixed on Kon Knueppel, who should continue to play even better in the Hornets’ final 27 games after a memorable trip to Inglewood, and with Coby White expected to make his debut with the team soon.
Quite a busy weekend for K2
It’s rare for rookies to be as busy as Knueppel was over the All-Star Weekend.
The first order of business was participating in the Rising Stars challenge on Friday. He couldn’t quite make an impact, though, as his side was unable to advance past the first round. It was a quiet night for Team T-Mac’s first overall pick, recording just four points and three rebounds while shooting 2-4 from the field and missing both of his 3-point attempts. On the other hand, viewers could see how hard he was trying, even though such a game format doesn’t suit his strengths.
The following day was more momentous for Knueppel, as he further established his status as one of the league’s best sharpshooters. Despite being not just the sole rookie but also the only participant below 25 years old in the 3-Point Contest, Kon turned up the pressure for the rest of the field by scoring 27 points, making 19 of the 27 shots, to open the tournament.
Unfortunately, he went cold in the following round, as the 30-minute wait between his turns in the first and final rounds caused him to lose momentum. As such, he placed third behind now three-time champion Damian Lillard and Devin Booker, with the superstar veterans incidentally making me eat crow.
Knueppel had one more chance to bag a trophy on Saturday. He and fellow Duke University products Jalen Johnson and Corey Maggette made up Team Cameron in the Shooting Stars competition. The Hornets rookie helped the Blue Devils group reach the final round, although they lost to Team Knicks, which was composed of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Allan Houston.
Despite the lack of first-place wins, Knueppel seems content with how his debut appearance at the All-Star Weekend turned out. And he should be, after showing the league that he is one of its best young players. Hopefully, it provides him with additional motivation as he looks to help Charlotte not settle for less as the 2025-26 regular season nears its end.
The potential Coby White effect
Fortunately, the Hornets’ trade for White will allow Knueppel to almost always be on the floor with a point guard who can elevate his teammates’ play. After an inspiring All-Star break and White hopefully making his debut in the purple and teal soon, fans can expect the prime Rookie of the Year candidate to improve his productivity and efficiency over the final two months of the regular season.
At such a young age, Knueppel has already emerged as one of the go-to guys and arguably the most lethal 3-point shooter on the Hornets. However, a minor problem now is that his long-range efficiency dips from 50.8 percent whenever he shares the floor with LaMelo Ball to 35.9 percent without the star.
To be fair, 36 percent is still a decent rate, but it is just evidence that Knueppel — for now — thrives more when he is on the court alongside a floor general who can create better scoring opportunities for him. It is more than likely that he will become a more reliable shot-maker in the near future.