Kon Knueppel has spent the entire season dismantling every expectation placed in front of him. For the Rookie of the Year award, the only thing stopping him now would be an unfortunate injury that sidelines him long-term. With every passing week, he continues to showcase his talent and creates a larger gap to securing the award.
Even Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 draft pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, hasn't been able to slow Knueppel's rise. Flagg has lived up to the hype, but Knueppel's efficiency and impact have pushed him to an entirely different level. He's played more games, matched nearly every major statistical category, and most importantly has been a driving force behind the Charlotte Hornets' winning record.
Knueppel has looked incredible this season. While Flagg has met expectations, Knueppel has exceeded them. Let's take a look at why he's so far ahead in the Rookie of the Year race.
Most three-pointers and counting
Knueppel shattered the NBA’s rookie single‑season record for three‑pointers made — a mark previously held by Keegan Murray at 206 — before February even ended. He’s already sitting at 233 made threes, blowing past the old record with ease. That accomplishment alone is staggering, but when you factor in that the Hornets still have 15 games left on the schedule, you start to realize just how historic this pace truly is.
Knueppel isn’t merely breaking records; he’s redefining what a rookie shooter can be, and he’s doing it with a level of volume and efficiency the league has never seen from a first‑year player. Yes, he takes a healthy number of threes — roughly eight per game — but that doesn’t even place him in the league’s top ten in attempts. And yet, he’s knocking them down at a blistering 44 percent clip. That’s not just elite for a rookie; it’s the best mark in the entire NBA among players with at least 400 three‑point attempts.
This isn't your ordinary shooter. He's already operating at an elite level. The mechanics, the shot selection, and the efficiency all point to a player who is far ahead of schedule. Flagg gets his buckets, but his sub-30 three-point percentage can't even sniff what Kon is cooking this season.
Availablity is the best ability
If Knueppel doesn’t miss another game, he’ll finish the season having missed just one contest due to injury. That’s about as durable as a rookie can be. Talent only matters if you’re actually on the floor, and Knueppel has shown up night after night.
Flagg, meanwhile, has missed eight games with a midfoot sprain. While that number might not seem alarming on its own, it becomes a real factor when you consider how tight the Rookie of the Year race is. When one rookie is setting records while playing nearly every night, and the other has already spent multiple stretches on the sideline while his team keeps losing with or without him, the gap becomes painfully clear.
The only obstacle that can derail Knueppel's chances of winning the award would be a significant injury. He's just done too much for his team on a consistent basis that should be favorable to the panel that votes for Rookie of the Year. Technically, a lot can change in the next month of basketball, but there's too much evidence that points to Knueppel taking the crown.