By NBA Insider | February 3, 2026
For years, the basketball world has searched for the “next Steph Curry”—a shooter with limitless range, elite efficiency, and the confidence to pull up from anywhere. Well, we might have finally found him in Charlotte.
Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel has been on a historic tear this season, and on Tuesday night, he officially etched his name next to the greatest shooter of all time. With his latest shooting clinic, the 20-year-old Duke product hit his 166th three-pointer of the season.
That number is significant because 166 is the exact number of three-pointers Stephen Curry made during his entire 80-game rookie campaign in 2009-10. Knueppel just tied that mark in only 50 games.
Here is how the Hornets’ sharpshooter is rewriting the NBA history books and making a serious push for the Rookie of the Year award.
Historically Great Efficiency
It’s not just the volume of Knueppel’s shooting that is shocking the league; it’s his terrifying efficiency.
Through his first 50 games, Knueppel is averaging 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while shooting an absurd 42.5% from beyond the arc. Earlier this season, he broke Lauri Markkanen’s record as the fastest player in NBA history to reach 100 career three-pointers, doing so in just 29 games.
Curry, who is rarely outshot by anyone, needed 30 more games to reach the 166 milestone as a rookie. In fact, Curry himself praised the young Hornet earlier this season, noting, “You can’t really leave him open at all as he has such a quick release and shoots with confidence.”
Chasing the All-Time Rookie Record
While tying Curry’s personal rookie total is an incredible feat, Knueppel isn’t done yet. The all-time NBA rookie record for three-pointers belongs to Keegan Murray, who hit 206 triples during the 2022-23 season.
With 32 games remaining in the regular season, Knueppel is currently on pace to obliterate Murray’s record and finish with roughly 269 three-pointers.
The Rookie of the Year Race Heats Up
For the first half of the season, Dallas Mavericks rookie (and Knueppel’s former Duke teammate) Cooper Flagg was the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year. But Knueppel’s historic shooting has turned this into a legitimate two-man race.
Knueppel just dropped a career-high 34 points and hit eight three-pointers in a head-to-head win over Flagg last week, signaling that the ROTY award is wide open heading into the All-Star break.
If Knueppel keeps shooting at this historic clip, the Hornets may not only have the 2026 Rookie of the Year, but the league’s next generational shooting superstar.
