It is not often a rookie’s name lands next to Stephen Curry in the record books.
But that is exactly where Kon Knueppel finds himself right now.
The 20-year-old guard for the Charlotte Hornets has now recorded nine games this season with at least 25 points and five made three-pointers. That matches the rookie mark Curry set during the 2009-10 season with the Golden State Warriors.
And he will get his first chance to own that record outright Tuesday night against the Chicago Bulls.
Steph Curry 🤝 Kon Knueppel
Knueppel logged his 9th game with 25+ points and 5+ threes this season, matching Curry’s rookie record from 2009-10.
He gets his first chance to pass Curry on Tuesday in Chicago, the same team he dropped 33 points and 5 threes on back in December 👀 pic.twitter.com/7LxT9VSbj9
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) February 24, 2026
Same opponent, bigger moment
There is a little extra juice to this one.
Knueppel already lit up Chicago once this year. Back in December, he poured in 33 points and drilled five threes against the Bulls. He looked comfortable, confident and completely unfazed by the moment.
Now he walks into the same matchup with history sitting right in front of him.
For a rookie, that kind of spotlight can feel heavy. For Knueppel, it has looked natural all season.
Not just hot nights
Through 57 games, the former Duke standout is averaging 19.2 points per game while shooting 43.5 percent from beyond the arc. That is not streaky production. That is sustained, high-level shot-making.
What makes the nine 25-and-5 games impressive is the combination. Plenty of rookies can score 25 on a good night. Plenty can catch fire from deep once or twice. Doing both in the same game, and doing it repeatedly is rare territory.
Curry’s rookie season was the start of a shooting revolution. Knueppel is not being asked to change the game. But tying that particular benchmark puts him in elite company.
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A cornerstone for Charlotte
At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds, Knueppel brings more than just a jumper. He has the size for the position, absorbs contact and competes defensively. Charlotte has leaned on him heavily, and he has responded like someone older than 20.
For a Hornets team still shaping its future, that matters. A young wing who can stretch the floor and carry scoring stretches is the kind of building block franchises search for.
Tuesday night in Chicago is one more regular-season game on the schedule. But for Knueppel, it is also a chance to step past one of the greatest shooters the league has ever seen, at least in one small but meaningful rookie category.
That alone tells you how special this first season has been.
