Charlotte Hornets (2025–present)
Knueppel was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2025 NBA draft. He led the Hornets to become the 2025 NBA Summer League Champions. For his efforts, he was awarded the Summer League Championship MVP, as he put up 21 points, five rebounds and two assists in an 83–78 win over the Sacramento Kings. Knueppel made his NBA regular season debut on October 22, recording 11 points and five rebounds in a 136–117 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Following a string of strong performances including a 30-point game against Miami Heat, Knueppel was nominated for the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on November 9. He continued his form with a near triple-double on the same day in a 121–111 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers, logging 19 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. On November 14, Knueppel scored a then-career-high 32 points in a 147–134 overtime loss against his hometown team, the Milwaukee Bucks, including two late three-point buckets to tie the game and send it to overtime. Knueppel received his second nomination for Eastern Conference Player of the Week on November 23 after averaging over 26.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists over four games that week. On November 19, he set a record as the fastest NBA player to make 50 three-point shots, doing so in his 15th game. On December 2, Knueppel was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November, ahead of teammate Ryan Kalkbrenner and Philadelphia 76ers' V. J. Edgecombe. Knueppel averaged over 18 points, five rebounds and three assists for the month. On December 22, he achieved his 100th career three-pointer in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He did so in just his 29th career game, setting a record for the fastest to 100 career three-pointers made in NBA history and surpassing Lauri Markkanen's previous record by 12 games.
On January 29, 2026, Knueppel scored a career-high 34 points on eight three-pointers made in a 123–121 win over the Dallas Mavericks and their star rookie Cooper Flagg. His eight three-pointers made set a record for the most three-pointers made by a rookie in Hornets franchise history. On February 24, he became the fastest NBA player to make 200 career three point shots in his 58th game, surpassing Duncan Robinson's record of 69 games. On February 26, in a game against the Indiana Pacers, Knueppel made his 207th career three-pointer, surpassing Keegan Murray's previous record (206) for the most three-pointers made in a season by a rookie in NBA history. On April 2, Knueppel made his 261st career three-pointer in a 127–107 win over the Phoenix Suns, surpassing Kemba Walker’s previous record for the most three-pointers made in a season in Hornets franchise history. Knueppel finished the regular season with a league-leading 273 made three-pointers, becoming the first rookie to lead the league in three-pointers made in a season in NBA history. He and his teammate, LaMelo Ball, also became the first duo since Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson to each have 270+ three-pointers made in a season. After the regular season, Knueppel finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting behind Cooper Flagg and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
