The Hornets’ Kon Knueppel continues to sink 3-pointers at a dizzying pace for a rookie.
Kon Knueppel, the Charlotte Hornets forward who remains atop the Kia Rookie Ladder for the third consecutive week, already owns the NBA record for 3-pointers by a player in his first season. He entered Tuesday’s action leading everybody, in fact, with 224 through 64 games.
He’s on pace to finish 2025-26 with 280 or more, which not only would obliterate Keegan Murray’s old rookie record of 206 but would be more 3-pointers than deep maestro Stephen Curry amassed in any of his first five seasons.
Curry, of course, took off from there, changing the game while hitting more than 300 six times in his next 10 seasons. That includes the record of 402 in 2015-16, when he attempted 11.2 nightly and hit 45.4%.
Knueppel – who ranks only 12th in 3-point attempts per game (8.0) – recently was asked about Curry’s single-season mark, along with his still-moving target of 4,233, his career total before he succumbed to a knee injury at the end of January.
“I think the 400 3s in a season … I view that as pretty close to unbreakable,” Knueppel told The San Francisco Standard. “It’s up there in NBA history. I don’t know if the total is as unbreakable, just because early in his career, he missed some games, missed some time with the ankles, but also just wasn’t shooting as many as maybe players are shooting them today.”
Knueppel is 20, so it’s conceivable – crystal ball, please – that he could average 300 a year for 15 years. And, depending on how much longer Curry decides to play, still fall short.
As for shorter-term success, Knueppel could become the first rookie to lead the league in the long ball. And now that Brooklyn’s Egor Dëmin has been shut down for the season with 124, it’s possible the Hornets forward could lap the rookie field. Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe is next in line among the rookies, reaching 119 with a 1-for-5 night Tuesday vs. Memphis.
Neither the final Ladder ranking nor most voters’ Kia Rookie of the Year ballots will be decided by 3-point prowess alone. If they were, Dallas Mavericks’ star Cooper Flagg wouldn’t be hot on Knueppel’s heels the way he is. In Atlanta on Tuesday, the Mavericks rookie took one 3-pointer and sank it, nudging his accuracy to 29.9% on far lower volume (55-for-184).
The closest anyone has come to Curry’s 402 was James Harden, with 378 treys in 2018-19.
The Warriors’ star, by the way, was asked how he might feel about his lifetime total getting chased down someday by Knueppel, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, or another sharpshooter not even on the scene yet.
“Same way Ray [Allen] had his moment when I was watching him beat Reggie [Miller], it’s a passing-of-a-baton type thing,” Curry told The Standard. “You do things that inspire other people, inspire a way to play, and see where they take it. … It’d be kind of cool to see somebody be around that long and shoot that consistently throughout their career to do it.”
Here are this week’s Ladder rankings:
Weekly recap
- Dëmin’s case of plantar fasciitis in his left foot prompted the Nets to close the book on his rookie season. He was a surprise from the perimeter, hitting 38.5% from the arc after managing only 27.5% last season at BYU.
- Some of the most intriguing rookies this season have blossomed late, which has kept them from grabbing regular rungs on the Ladder but has their teams enthused about the offseason and next fall. Among them: Washington’s Will Riley, Memphis’ Javon Small and Walter Clayton Jr., Golden State’s Will Richard and Brooklyn’s Nolan Traoré.
- Knueppel and Flagg roomed and teamed together at Duke last year, and the Charlotte rookie was asked on Ryen Russillo’s podcast what they talk about these days while staying very much in touch. “When we talk it’s less about basketball and more about ‘Where [are you] living? How often is your family down there? How [are] you doing?’” Knueppel said. You know, that type of stuff. Which is cool and lasting.”
Storyline to watch
Endorsments for awards season. Many of the media reps who actually get ballots and vote for the major awards prefer to keep their cards close to their chests until the deadline at the end of the regular season. But plenty of witnesses and insiders will be weighing in on all the categories, including the player most deserving of snagging the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy as 2025-26 Rookie of the Year.
“When we talk it’s less about basketball and more about where you’re living? How often is your family down there? How you doing? You know, that type of stuff. Which is cool and lasting,”
Two recently sang Knueppel’s praises: Former Sixth Man extraordinaire Jamal Crawford, now a game analyst for NBC and Peacock, and Hornets’ play-by-play man Eric Collins. Crawford praised Knueppel’s efficiency and fundamentals, saying in his mailbag for NBA.com:
“He knows his angles. He bumps and plays off of two feet. He’s just such a smart player. I always feel like when you’re that smart a player and you can shoot like that, you’ll always be effective.”
Collins, who can’t feign objectivity, zoomed back a little in his appreciation of Charlotte’s young star.
“For people who are debating Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, you’re missing the whole point,” he said on Dan LeBatard’s podcast. “You gotta fall in love with Kon Knueppel just because he is so uniquely gifted and it’s gonna be good for so long. … I’m from Cleveland, Ohio. I never thought I’d see a better shooter with better form than Mark Price, but this guy is.”
(All stats through Tuesday, March 10)
1. Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Season stats: 19.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.4 apg
Last Ladder: No. 1 ↔️
Draft pick: No. 4
Here are a couple of recent stats that have kept Knueppel at No. 1 on the Ladder: When he scored 27 points on 9-for-14 shooting (6-for-10 on 3s) against Miami Friday, it was his 27th of the season, which passed Michael Jordan for the most by a rookie in NBA history. And Charlotte is +3.3 points when Knueppel is on the floor vs. when he sits. For Flagg, it’s upside down, with the Mavs -5.0 when he’s on compared to -3.8 when he’s off.
2. Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Season stats: 20.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 4.2 apg
Last Ladder: No. 2 ↔️
Draft pick: No. 1
One potential tiebreaker in ROY voting might end up being Flagg’s defense, built on skills and determination. Dreary as Dallas’ results have been, individual moments have enabled him to shine at that end. His 108 “stocks” (62 steals, 46 blocks) heading into Tuesday’s action had him tied for third among rookies with Charlotte’s Ryan Kalkbrenner (29/79), behind Derik Queen (62/58) and VJ Edgecombe (84/30).
3. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Season stats: 15.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.9 apg
Last Ladder: No. 3 ↔️
Draft pick: No. 3
No Joel Embiid, no Tyrese Maxey, no Paul George? No problem for Edgecombe. In his return after missing three games with a bruised back, the Sixers rookie ran the point against Memphis Tuesday and finished with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists (while Cam Payne filled the Maxey role off the bench with 32 points and 8-for-8 from the arc).
4. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
Season stats: 11.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.7 apg
Last Ladder: No. 4 ↔️
Draft pick: No. 2
Some other team might be tied at this point, but no NBA rival has been playing with more cohesion and selflessness than the Spurs. Harper comes off the bench and exemplifies the we-over-me outlook. “As a group we have so much weapons on offense,” he said after scoring 17 of his 19 in the first half against Houston Sunday. “I think we’re all so gifted offensively that I think it’s kind of a bad thing if we don’t swing the ball.” Hiding in his 28.6% shooting on threes, Harper opened March hitting 7 of his first 11.
5. Maxime Raynaud, Sacramento Kings
Season stats: 10.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.2 apg
Last Ladder: No. 6 ⬆️
Draft pick: No. 42
Raynaud has had double-doubles in 25% of his appearances, which isn’t exactly on pace with Nikola Jokić (86%) or Karl-Anthony Towns (74%). But it’s tops for the rookies, with 14 overall. His latest came Sunday in a 26-11, plus-15 performance against Chicago.
The next 5
6. Derik Queen, New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 11.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.9 apg
Last Ladder: No. 5 ⬇️
Draft pick: No. 13
Queen has made no secret of his preference for playing center. But New Orleans isn’t as good defensively when he does, its rebounding dips and his rim protection is limited. Having the rookie develop chemistry alongside center Yves Missi might be the better long-term option.
7. Cedric Coward, Memphis Grizzlies
Season stats: 13.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 2.8 apg
Last Ladder: No. 7 ↔️
Draft pick: No. 11
In and out of the lineup for the past week due to his ailing right knee, Coward was in and started in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Grizz watchers think he’ll be freed up to flex more of his offensive creativity if healthy.
8. Ace Bailey, Utah Jazz
Season stats: 12.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.7 apg
Last Ladder: No. 8 ↔️
Draft pick: No. 5
Bailey’s season-high 32 points at Washington last week included 7-of-11 shooting from the arc. That might explain Jazz assistant coach Jason Terry’s exuberance in linking the rookie to an all-time sniper, Ray Allen. Based on Bailey’s “quick release” as well as “coming off screens, pin downs, shooting threes in transition.”
9. Jeremiah Fears, New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 13.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.3 apg
Last Ladder: T-10 ⬆️
Draft pick: No. 9
In a stew of bad this season, the Pelicans at least have a little mentoring going on with veteran guards Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole. Said Fears recently: ““Definitely learning, talking to Dejounte, talking to Jordan Poole. Just asking questions, continuing to learn, and they’ve been giving me some really good advice.”
10. Tre Johnson, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 12.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 2.01 apg
Last Ladder: Not listed ⬆️
Draft pick: No. 6
We’re finally getting a look at what the Wizards’ Trae/Tre combo looks like, with the pair of offensive-minded guards putting up 64 points in their first two games together. Johnson, heading into Tuesday’s game at Miami, was hitting 43.5% of his threes in March vs. 25% on twos.
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
