Throughout the 2025-26 season, the one thing you could always count on from Kon Knueppel was the shot going in. For several weeks now, that certainty has been replaced by something far more uncomfortable: a cold streak at the worst possible moment.
Knueppel finished the Hornets’ Play-In overtime victory over the Miami Heat with just six points on 2-for-12 shooting, going 0-for-6 from three-point range across 34 minutes of a game that required everything Charlotte had to survive.
The slump is not limited to a single game. Over his last several appearances heading into the postseason, Knueppel has failed to reach 15 points in multiple consecutive outings and has been held to two or fewer three-pointers made across stretches where his average hovers well above three per game for the full season.
The timing could not be more frustrating for Charlotte fans. As ESPN’s player page noted directly, his recent slump has come at arguably the worst time for the Hornets, who will now need to face another Play-In game against either the 76ers or the Magic for the final playoff spot.
For most rookies, a cold stretch of a few games would simply register as a normal part of a long season. For Knueppel, whose bar has been set so extraordinarily high, these numbers feel jarring to everyone watching. He has redefined what is considered normal for a first-year player, which makes any deviation from that standard feel far more significant than it might otherwise.
Knueppel’s basketball IQ and competitive spirit have been noted by teammates and coaches throughout the year as forces of culture change in the Charlotte locker room. Even when shots are not falling, his court awareness, movement, and defensive commitment give the Hornets things they need beyond the three-point line.
The Hornets won the Play-In game without their sharpshooter finding his shot. That says something about both the depth of this roster and the resilience of a team that has grown around Knueppel all year. But if Charlotte is going to go deep, they are going to need the version of Knueppel who carried them to 40 wins. The clock is ticking for that version to show up.
