Kon Knueppel looks to be the biggest competitor for the Rookie of the Year award alongside the Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg. And that was on full display in the Charlotte Hornets’ recent victory over the Mavs, which came after both players registered career-highs.
This was followed by a hilarious moment between Knueppel and none other than Dirk Nowitzki, who had a simple question for the 20-year-old rookie.
“Do you even know what your last name Knueppel means in German?” Nowitzki initially wanted to know, per a clip posted on X by Oh No He Didn’t.
“I don’t,” the Hornets star replied, before Nowitzki himself explained.
Kon learns from Dirk what his last name means pic.twitter.com/ktF67gcPiR
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 31, 2026
“Ohh, okay, it’s bat. So you can hit someone with a knueppel over their head. So, you got plenty knueppeling going on. Well, congrats,” he said.
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Knueppel’s imprint on the game extended well beyond his scoring total. Already among the league leaders in made three-pointers as a rookie, the 20-year-old wasted no time asserting himself, drilling four first-quarter threes and forcing Dallas to adjust defensively from the opening minutes.
His eight triples on the night kept Charlotte afloat during Flagg’s historic scoring bursts and eventually got them the win. With the score tied in the closing seconds, he made the calculated decision to double-team Flagg, anticipating the pass and deflecting it himself. Knueppel then sprinted ahead in transition, absorbed contact from Flagg, and calmly converted two free throws with 4.1 seconds remaining, a sequence that eventually got them the win.
Selected fourth overall, Knueppel is not only validating the Hornets’ draft-night confidence but positioning himself as a franchise pillar alongside the league’s brightest young talent. Regardless, the 20-year-old now finally knows what his name means in German, and he has a Mavericks legend to thank for it, despite being the chief reason behind the victory.
The Hornets have since won against the San Antonio Spurs as well, with Knueppel putting up 13 points and six rebounds.