At each stop in his basketball career, Kon Knueppel has shattered expectations.

From preps play, to a singular season with Duke and now the NBA, Knueppel’s proven time and again he doesn’t have the ceiling others put on him.

Coming out of high school, he was ranked as the No. 14 prospect per RSCI — a respectable one, though it didn’t prepare many for just how immediately good he’d be at the collegiate level.

Alongside Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, he helped the Blue Devils to one of their best seasons in years, averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists en route to a Final Four appearance. 

When Flagg missed late-season games, Knueppel stepped in with star-esque scoring to keep Duke afloat. And the combination of statistical production and winning impact led to him becoming the No. 4 pick at the 2025 NBA Draft.

While a top-four pick in any capacity is certainly nothing to scoff at, many believed Knueppel would simply fill a role with the Hornets, stepping in between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller with his 3-point shooting, connective passing and better-than-expected defense.

But, just a handful of games into his NBA career, he’s now quite easily the front runner for the league’s Rookie of the Year Award.

Through 15 games, Knueppel is averaging 18.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists, scoring on 47% shooting overall and 40% shooting from beyond the arc. He’s become the fastest player in NBA history to reach 50 career 3-pointers, doing so on over eight attempts per game.

Kon Knueppel 28 PTS, 8 REB, 7 AST, 11/20 FG, 5/12 3FG, 68.5% TS vs Pacers https://t.co/wOYcoh2BSg pic.twitter.com/JgF79f2lLF

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) November 20, 2025

Even more, he looks the part of a legitimate NBA star. He’s been immovable in getting to his spots, both scoring with immense versatility from beyond the arc, but also getting downhill with elite footwork and body control. 

And the defense has continued to go under the radar as far as bulky wings go.

Knueppel leads all NBA newbies in scoring by a decent margin, with VJ Edgecombe, Cooper Flagg and Jeremiah Fears on his heels. Though his efficiency at 47-40-89 stands above most. With his current output, he’s having one of the hottest 15-game starts for a rookie we’ve seen in years — likely dating back to Paolo Banchero’s 22.3 point-per-game start with the Orlando Magic.

There’s plenty more season remaining, and as Knueppel climbs the opposition’s scouting reports he’s sure to get more defensive attention. Though for now, he’s seen one of the better starts to a career we’ve seen in some time.