The Charlotte Hornets have the best rookie class in the NBA, no doubt about it.
General Manager Jeff Peterson absolutely hit it out of the park this year. Halfway through the season, all four Hornets’ rookies are making contributions to the team, headlined, of course, by potential Rookie of the Year Kon Knueppel.
This midseason rookie report card for the Hornets will grade each rookie on their production relative to draft position (i.e. a first-round pick is held to a higher standard than a second-round pick). Let’s dive in!
Kon Knueppel: A+
Round 1 – Pick 4
All the hype of the 2025 draft class centered on Cooper Flagg, and rightfully so. But that may have been a blessing in disguise for the Hornets.
Flagg’s teammate, Kon Knueppel, fell to the Hornets at the fourth pick, and he has proved himself to be one of the best rookies in the league.
The sharp-shooting guard out of Duke is averaging 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game, all while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and an impressive 42.8 percent from three-point land.
Kneuppel’s shooting ability isn’t just good, it’s record-breaking. In his first 40 career games, he broke the rookie three-pointers made record with 137. The next closest player was Lauri Markkanen, who made 98. Knueppel is on pace to obliterate the rookie season record for three pointers and could end up having a top-25 three-point shooting season of all-time!
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Knueppel doesn’t just make a living off three pointers; he also has a deep bag of midrange pull-ups and the ability to get to the rim. He really is a pure scorer.
Kon is already a fan favorite in Charlotte, and his teammates and coaches love him even more. Head Coach Charles Lee said about Knueppel, “He’s an amazing human being. He fits our culture that we continue to build here. A lot of times on our team, we talk about consistent competitors, we talk about being obsessed with daily improvement, and that’s what Kon’s about.”
Pretty high praise coming from the head coach. Knueppel has earned his praise this season, and his instant, all-around contribution to the team, combined with his leadership and character, earns him an A+ for his report card.
Liam McNeeley: C
Round 1 – Pick 29
Liam McNeeley, Charlotte’s other first-round pick, has had an up-and-down start to his rookie campaign. McNeeley has struggled to find meaningful minutes so far in his NBA career. With the depth that the Hornets have at guard, it was going to be hard for McNeeley to find minutes in the first place.
Still, McNeeley is shooting a respectable 37.9 percent from three. What he really lacks is volume, and since he only gets roughly twelve minutes a game, chances do not come his way often. McNeeley is a spot-up shooter who thrives in catch-and-shoot situations. So far, he has struggled slightly finding open shots in the NBA, but he is certainly growing in that regard.
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Currently, McNeeley is assigned to the Hornets’ G-League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Some more minutes there could be exactly what he needs to continue to grow in his development. If he does return to the Hornets anytime soon, he will have to battle for minutes with his fellow rookie and our next candidate, Sion James.
Sion James: B+
Round 2 – Pick 33
Sion James was the fourth out of five Duke players selected in the 2025 draft. He joined his college teammate Kon Knueppel in Charlotte, albeit with significantly less expectations. Halfway through the season, James has evolved into one of the first players off the bench for Charles Lee.
James brings a defensive presence to the court that the Hornets have been lacking in the past few years, and frankly, it’s a sight for sore eyes. With his long, athletic frame, James plays hectic defense on guards, harassing them night in and night out. For this exact reason, James sees the court way more than his rookie partner, McNeeley. At the moment, James plays the fifth most minutes on the team. He has only started 18 of the 45 games he was available.
On the offensive side of the ball, James is still getting used to the fast and physical NBA playstyle. He was never a great shooter in college and continues to try to grow in that area with the Hornets. Still, whatever James might lack on the offensive end, his defensive leadership and effort make up for.
Ryan Kalkbrenner: B
Round 2 – Pick 34
Ryan Kalkbrenner jumped straight from Creighton into the starting lineup for the Hornets on opening night. The seven-footer has split minutes and starts with Moussa Diabate for the season, performing admirably in his time on the court.
Kalkbrenner averages 8.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting at a very efficient 76.8 percent. With his towering frame, Kalkbrenner guards the paint quite well, leading all rookies in blocks with 51.
An elbow injury sidelined Kalkbrenner for eight games during the holiday season, and in his return from injury, he seems to be hitting that unavoidable rookie wall. He continues to split minutes with Diabate, and probably will for the rest of the season.
Kalkbrenner’s greatest weakness has to be his lack of ability to shoot outside the paint. Improving his jumper will be critical to his NBA development. Nevertheless, Kalkbrenner has filled the Hornets’ need for another center and remains an exciting piece for the future.
Entire Class Grade: A-
Through the years, the Hornets have taken their fair share of swings and misses at NBA draft prospects. This year, they finally got it all right.
Taking Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick seems like an absolute steal now, and the rest of the Hornets rookies have performed at or above their draft positions. It was an absolute masterclass of a draft by GM Jeff Peterson and his scouting department.
Now, the Hornets will hope to develop this year’s rookie talent into a winning basketball team.
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