Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel is flirting with a historic achievement no NBA rookie has ever reached, as he nears the rare 50/40/90 shooting milestone.
The Charlotte Hornets are seeing a promising start from their rookie Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke. The 20-year-old has been a near-constant presence for Charlotte, appearing in 53 of 54 games this season and starting 52 of them.
Charlotte Hornets / Schedule
After a rocky start to the season, the Hornets have bounced back since mid-January, including a nine-game winning streak before Monday's loss to the Detroit Pistons. Knueppel has been a major factor in that turnaround, providing scoring and efficiency at a level rarely seen from a rookie.
Knueppel is currently flirting with joining the elite 50/40/90 club, which requires shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line.
Only nine players in NBA history have accomplished this over 80 seasons, including Steve Nash, Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Steph Curry, Reggie Miller, Mark Price, Malcolm Brogdon, and Kyrie Irving.
According to NBA writer Mack Baltes, Knueppel is extremely close to reaching this milestone. As of Tuesday, he is shooting 48.5% from the field, 42.8% from three, and 89.9% from the free-throw line.
With 28 games left in the 2025-26 season, he has a real shot at making NBA history as the first rookie ever to complete a 50/40/90 season.
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