With the conclusion of the regular season last week, Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets has officially joined two NBA Hall of Famers in the record books.
In 81 games, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 42.5% from three-point range.
Prior to this year, only two rookies ever posted 15 or more points per game and five or more rebounds per game while shooting above 40% from beyond the arc.
The other two players each won NBA Championships and went on to be Hall of Famers. Those two were Celtics legends: Larry Bird, who did so during the 1979-80 season, and Paul Pierce, who reached those marks during the 1998-99 season.
Of the three, Knueppel had the highest three-point percentage, besting both Bird and Pierce. That said, Bird led Knueppel and Pierce in both scoring and rebounding during his rookie campaign, averaging 21.3 points and 10.4 rebounds.
While Knueppel still has a long career ahead of him, it’s clear that the former Blue Devil is off to an incredible start.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke alum Kon Knueppel joins two Hall of Famers in NBA history