The close of 2025 was historic for Kon Knueppel, and the Charlotte Hornets rookie will never forget the final night of the year. That was the moment when he etched his name into the franchise’s history books alongside Stephen Curry in the NBA record book.
During Wednesday night’s game against the Golden State Warriors, the former first-round pick from the most recent NBA Draft broke a record previously held by Curry, becoming the rookie with the most games recording at least 20 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range, and 90 percent from the free-throw line.
Knueppel finished the game with 20 points, connecting on seven of his 11 field-goal attempts. He knocked down four of seven shots from beyond the arc and was perfect at the free-throw line. He also contributed five rebounds and eight assists in a well-rounded performance.
However, his strong showing was not enough to prevent Charlotte from falling to the Warriors by seven points. In his first season in the league, the rookie has exceeded expectations thanks to a game that adapts to virtually any situation. He is already emerging as a key piece for the franchise’s future, and more importantly, he has begun to draw comparisons to the legend of Curry.
Knueppel now ranks third in the NBA in total three-pointers made this season with 117, trailing only Curry with 119 and Donovan Mitchell with 125.
What does Curry think of Knueppel?
The storyline allowed Stephen Curry to witness Knueppel’s success firsthand, and rather than showing any jealousy toward the young rookie, the Warriors star expressed pride in seeing such talent on display.
“It’s impressive. For as young as he is, he plays with such composure,” Curry said during the postgame press conference. “He obviously can shoot the ball at a high level; you can’t leave him open at all. He just has such a good, quick release and shoots with confidence, and his playmaking is very underrated, too. So, he’s a guy I know that they’re happy to have here.”
When Knueppel was asked about facing Curry, the Hornets guard chose not to play into the comparisons with reporters. Charlotte currently sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, but it is clear the team has a player with the potential to lead them out of the lower standings and turn the franchise into a legitimate contender in the near future.
Read the full article here
