There was a solid stretch of time last season where it looked like the Rookie of the Year award would be coming to Charlotte for the first time since 2021, as Kon Knueppel tore up the NBA. Across his 81 games, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points per game, shooting on a lethal 42.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Yet, fans of the Charlotte Hornets and the NBA world alike haven’t gotten a chance to see the former Duke Blue Devil rise even higher in his second year, as the 21-year-old has been sidelined due to a left hamstring strain that he suffered during the offseason.
But it appears that the Hornets’ young star is making some progress in his recovery.
Knueppel assigned to G League affiliate for practice
Kon Knueppel is taking the next steps in his recovery from a hamstring injury by practicing with the Greensboro Swarm in the G League today. Assuming all goes well, he will be recalled, practice with the Hornets, and then be cleared to play.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) October 29, 2026
According to NBA insider Brett Siegel, the 21-year-old was assigned to Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, on Thursday to practice with the squad as part of his recovery process, with a return on the cards contingent on how things go.
This move isn’t exactly out of the ordinary, as players from the NBA returning from stints on the injury report practice with the G League affiliate as a way to simulate things at a higher level. The same thing occurred with Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics last season when he was returning from a torn Achilles tendon.
While it’s not clear how Knueppel performed with Greensboro, one thing is certain: the Hornets need him back for their upcoming slate.
Some of the upcoming opponents for Charlotte include the Detroit Pistons, who just beat them 97-89 on Wednesday, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers, who have gotten off to a hot start to the campaign, only dropping one game in their opening five.
