Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel added another milestone to his debut season Thursday night, breaking the NBA record for most three-pointers made by a rookie in a single season. The No. 4 overall pick out of Duke knocked down his 207th three-pointer during Charlotte’s 133–109 win over the Indiana Pacers, surpassing the previous record of 206 set by the Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray during the 2022–23 season.
Knueppel set the record late in the third quarter after receiving a kickout pass from Sion James, his former Duke teammate. After pump-faking defender Kam Jones, Knueppel took a dribble to his left, stepped behind the arc and buried the historic shot. He had already tied Murray’s mark late in the first half when he stopped on the break to hit his fifth three-pointer of the game.
The achievement came far quicker than Murray’s original record. Murray needed 80 games to reach 206 threes during his rookie season, while Knueppel surpassed it in just 59 games. With 22 games remaining in the regular season, Knueppel now has a chance to push the record even further out of reach. He and Murray are the only rookies in NBA history to make 200 or more three-pointers in a season, surpassing the previous rookie record of 187 set by Donovan Mitchell in 2017–18.
Knueppel finished the night with 28 points, shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 8-of-12 from beyond the arc, tying his career high in made threes. His eight three-pointers also left him just one shy of matching the NBA rookie single-game record. Brandon Miller led Charlotte with 33 points and six made threes, while LaMelo Ball added 20 points and eight assists. Moussa Diabate contributed 11 rebounds as the Hornets shot 48% from three-point range (22-of-46) as a team.
The sharpshooting rookie has combined high volume with elite efficiency all season. Entering the game, Knueppel had made 43.6% of his 461 three-point attempts, and his percentage rose to 44.2%, ranking among the best in the league. His breakout season has helped propel Charlotte back into postseason contention, with the Hornets improving to 29–31, currently tied for ninth place in the Eastern Conference and in position for a play-in tournament berth.
Knueppel’s production has also placed him firmly in the NBA Rookie of the Year race, alongside his former Duke teammate and roommate Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks. Regardless of how the award race unfolds, Knueppel’s emergence — alongside Ball and Miller — has given Charlotte a promising young core and renewed hope for a franchise that has not reached the playoffs since the 2015–16 season.
KON MAKES HISTORY ‼️
— NBA (@NBA) February 27, 2026
With this three, Kon Knueppel has set the new NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made in a season! pic.twitter.com/CoaK09QIQY
