This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/hornets/onsi as NBA insider makes Kon Knueppel declaration, but it doesn't mean what you think.

Wisconsin Lutheran players Kager and Kinston Knueppel are riding the wave of a whirlwind year while carving their own paths in basketball.

Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones Jr. discuss how the former Duke teammates have each made a case to be considered the frontrunner for this year’s award. Check out the full conversation on “The Dunker Spot and subscribe on Apple Podcasts,

It wasn’t long ago that Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were both repping Duke, leading the Blue Devils to their first Final Four appearance since 2022. Flagg won

Kon Knueppel sat down on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss winning the Rookie of the Month award alongside Cooper Flagg.

Is it too early for me to assume the 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year race has already been narrowed down to two players? Probably, but with the way Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel have been playing, it feels difficult to see another player crashing the party.

The rookie accomplished the feat on the night Josh Green made his NBA season debut in a 129-126 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

Beloved Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel is excelling in the NBA, and this specific stat shows why he should already be considered a rising star.