Another day, another record for Hornets sharp-shooting rookie Kon Knueppel.
On Tuesday, he became the fastest player in NBA history to make 200 three-pointers as he reached the feat in his 58th career game. One game later, Knueppel holds a shiny new record: Most threes by a rookie in NBA history.
He tied Keegan Murray’s record of 206 threes as a rookie in the first half against the Pacers Thursday as he got out to a red hot 5-for-8 start from deep in the first half.
KON TIES THE RECORD!
— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026
With this three, Kon Knueppel has tied Keegan Murray for the most 3-pointers made by a rookie in NBA history! pic.twitter.com/lhZSMDMxpB
Knueppel broke Murray’s record late in the third quarter when he found himself open beyond the arc and drained his 207th three after a pump fake on Indiana guard Kam Jones.
KON MAKES HISTORY ‼️
— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026
With this three, Kon Knueppel has set the new NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season! pic.twitter.com/CoaK09QIQY
He wasn’t done there, either. Knueppel dropped 28 points and made eight threes on the night for a total of 209 three-pointers before his 60th NBA game. This season’s Rookie of the Year award is particularly difficult to win with Knueppel’s former Duke teammate and top pick Cooper Flagg in the mix, but Knueppel has made a strong case over the past few weeks.
Where do Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg stand in the NBA’s Rookie of the Year race?
The Duke teammates are the heavy frontrunners in the chase for Rookie of the Year honors. 76ers rookie guard V.J. Edgecombe has had an incredible rookie season as well, but Knueppel and Flagg are the top candidates for separate reasons.
Knueppel has made the most threes of any player in the NBA this season as one of Charlotte’s best players on a Hornets team fighting for a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. Flagg has looked like the NBA’s next young superstar in his first season with the Mavericks, dominating with 20.4 points per game while he remains a true menace on the defensive end of the floor.
Flagg has not played since before the All-Star break as he’s nursed a foot injury, while the Mavs firmly pressed the rebuild button by dealing Anthony Davis to the Wizards at the trade deadline. While Knueppel’s incredible year always had him in Rookie of the Year conversations, his record-setting nights while Flagg has been on the shelf may have shifted the race in the No. 4 pick’s favor. Knueppel has averaged 22.1 points per game in a red-hot month of February.
Here’s a look at each player’s stats thus far over their respective rookie seasons:
| Player | Games Played | Points per game | Rebounds per game | Assists per game | FG% | 3P% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kon Knueppel | 58 | 19.3 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 48.9% | 43.6% | 89.3% |
| Cooper Flagg | 49 | 20.4 | 6.6 | 4.1 | 48.2% | 30.2% | 80.4% |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kon Knueppel Makes Rookie of the Year Statement With Three-Point Record Before 60th Game.
