NBA
KK
#7

Kon Knueppel

Forward · Charlotte Hornets · 6'6", 215 lb · Born Aug 3, 2005 · Milwaukee, Wisconsin · Drafted 4th overall, 2025
No. 4 pick (2025)Summer League MVPRookie 3PT recordSharpshooter
NBACharlotte HornetsForwards
Compare:vs Millervs Whitevs Greenvs Ballvs Bridgesvs Diabate
In short

Kon Knueppel is a 6-foot-6 sharpshooting wing for the Charlotte Hornets and the No. 4 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. An elite shooter out of Duke (40.6% from three, 91.4% from the line in college), he was named 2025 Summer League MVP and broke multiple NBA rookie three-point records in his debut season, projecting as a high-end floor-spacing scorer.

Matchup model · next gameMedium confidenceWed, Nov 11
@Brooklyn NetsAggressive hedge & help
Proj. points
18.6
range 15.8–21.5
Line 18.5
52%
to go over
Team win
45%
112–113
Poi 18.6 Lean overReb 5.3 Lean underAss 3.4 Lean underPRA 27.4 Lean over
Likely on himTerance Mann· 78 Perimeter DStrong defender
15+ pts87%20+ pts33%

Model lines Knueppel at 18.6 pts (range 15.8–21.5) vs a 18.5 line — a lean to clear it (52%).

Model favors Brooklyn Nets (55%), projected 112–113, ~225 total at 96.8 pace.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Knueppel
The Knueppel Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A 6-foot-6 sharpshooting wing and No. 4 pick — elite shooting and floor spacing for the Hornets.

Wisconsin Mr. Basketball, Knueppel shot over 40% from three at Duke before Charlotte drafted him 4th in 2025.

🏫 Duke · 4th, 2025Milwaukee

He was named 2025 Summer League MVP.

Summer League MVPSharpshooter

He broke multiple NBA rookie three-point records, including the single-season mark.

Rookie 3PT record207 threes

A high-end floor-spacing scorer, he's a building block for the Hornets.

40%+ 3PBuilding block
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
18.5
2025-26
RPG
5.3
per game
APG
3.4
per game
FG%
.475
.425 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A 6-foot-6 sharpshooting wing and No. 4 pick — elite shooting and floor spacing for the Hornets.

Kon Knueppel was born in Milwaukee into a basketball family and was Wisconsin Mr. Basketball before one season at Duke, where he shot over 40% from three and 91% from the line and was ACC Tournament MVP. Charlotte drafted him 4th in 2025.

An elite shooter with secondary playmaking, he was named 2025 Summer League MVP and broke multiple NBA rookie three-point records in his debut season — including the rookie single-season three-pointers record — projecting as a high-end floor-spacing scorer for the Hornets.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference, ESPN.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Knueppel comes from a deep basketball family — both parents were college scoring leaders, an uncle played in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, and he is the oldest of five brothers. A Christian from the Milwaukee area, he led his high school to an undefeated state title before a standout Duke season.

His on-court identity is elite shooting — a 6-foot-6 catch-and-shoot and movement wing whose 40%-plus three-point shooting and near-perfect free-throw stroke translated immediately (a record-setting rookie three-point pace). His athleticism and defense are the development questions, but his shooting touch, size, and multi-category feel give him a high-value floor-spacing role.

PERSONALITY

The person

An elite sharpshooting wing — catch-and-shoot and movement shooting with feel.

Elite shooterOver 40% from three with a near-perfect free-throw stroke.
Record-setterBroke NBA rookie three-point records in his debut season.
FeelMulti-category contribution beyond a pure spot-up role.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Sharpshooting Rookie Wing
Temperament
Spark
Leadership
58/100
Scoring71
Playmaking49
Rebounding63
Perimeter D62
Rim protection46
Spacing76
Athleticism70
Clutch67
Elite shooterSecondary creatorRookie standout
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Elite, translatable shooting

Knueppel's value is elite shooting — a 6-foot-6 catch-and-shoot and movement wing whose 40%-plus three-point shooting and near-perfect free-throw stroke translated immediately, setting NBA rookie three-point records. That shooting touch, plus secondary playmaking and rebounding, gives Charlotte a high-value floor-spacer from day one.

Athleticism and defense to grow

The development questions are athleticism and defense — the areas that will determine whether he's a high-end starter or a specialist. But his shooting is elite and translatable, his feel is beyond a pure spot-up role, and his record-setting rookie pace points to a genuine floor-spacing building block for the Hornets alongside Ball and Miller.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-268131.518.55.33.4.475.425

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

CollegeACC Tournament MVP at Duke; Wisconsin Mr. Basketball
2025No. 4 overall pick and Summer League MVP
2026Broke the NBA rookie single-season three-pointers record (207)

Hardware

No. 4
Draft pick (2025)
1×
Summer League MVP (2025)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 13, 2026

A high-end sharpshooting wing with translatable elite shooting — a building block for the Hornets.

Knueppel's elite, record-setting rookie shooting projects him as a high-value floor-spacing scorer. His athleticism and defense are the development questions, but his shooting touch, size, and feel give him a genuine building-block trajectory alongside Ball and Miller.

Three-point shootingElite
Movement shootingStrong
Feel / playmakingGood
Athleticism / defenseDeveloping

Contract

Draft
No. 4, 2025 rookie
Role
Floor-spacer building block
Age
20 rising
Bottom line

A 6-foot-6 elite shooter with a record-setting rookie three-point pace — a high-value floor-spacing building block for Charlotte, with athleticism and defense the areas to grow.

FAQ

Quick answers

What is Kon Knueppel known for?

Elite shooting — a 6-foot-6 wing who shot over 40% from three and 91% from the line in college, was Summer League MVP, and broke NBA rookie three-point records.

Where did Kon Knueppel play college basketball?

One season at Duke, where he was ACC Tournament MVP, after being Wisconsin Mr. Basketball.

How high was Kon Knueppel drafted?

No. 4 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2025 NBA Draft.