Hornets rookie sensation Kon Knueppel will participate in 3-point contest

Entering the 2025-26 NBA campaign, Cooper Flagg was supposed to be the clear Rookie of the Year winner and the Charlotte Hornets were supposed to miss the playoffs. Both of those things may very well be true by season’s end, but thanks to Kon Knueppel, they are not certainties. The 20-year-old sharpshooter has been a terrific addition to the league, using his pure stroke to mesmerize fans and achieve remarkable history. He is rapidly gaining national exposure, and more could be coming. Knueppel will compete in the 3-point contest, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

The All-Star Weekend staple usually includes a star-studded crop of participants, unlike the slam dunk contest, so it is quite notable to see the Hornets wing gain entry in his first NBA season. Fans will get a better idea of who the favorite is when the field fills out, but Knueppel should be a contender. He is scoring 18.7 points per contest while shooting 42.5 percent from 3-point range, ranking third in 3-poiinters made and 19th in 3-point shooting percentage.

What Kon Knueppel is doing for the Hornets

Top-five draft picks do not exactly sneak up on people, but Knueppel is smashing expectations through 50 games. Most importantly, his excellent marksmanship is driving Charlotte closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. Following a seemingly never-ending rebuild, the red-hot Hornets (23-28) are showing new life after winning seven in a row. They are just one game behind the Chicago Bulls for the final slot in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Kon Knueppel joins LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in forming one of the most exciting young cores in the Eastern Conference. The rookie’s meteoric rise may force people to reconsider how they perceive one of the least successful organizations in American professional sports. He cannot get ahead of himself, though.

Knueppel obviously wants to help end Charlotte’s arduous reconstruction project, but he must also make sure to enjoy all of these milestone-moments. Firing up shots in Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome during NBA All-Star Saturday is the kind of surreal experience one should cherish.

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