Devastating news for the 2nd-year rookie, who strained his hamstring so close to returning to the NBA season. According to the Charlotte Hornets PR team, Knueppel suffered the injury during “off-season on-court activity”; whether that means it was during training camp or Knueppel was just on a court when the unexpected injury happened, we don’t know. Coincidentally, veteran forward Grant Williams also suffered from the very same injury, according to Charlotte. Are they connected?

I don’t believe they are, but Charlotte provided surprisingly few details about the injury. We can safely assume, though, that both players will miss all of the pre-season, with a re-evaluation date being set during the first week of the regular season. This would mean that Knueppel could miss 1-3 games if he is not cleared for the first week.

Hamstring strains can range from 1-3 weeks if the injury sustained was minor and had no structural damage, to 3-6 months for a grade 3 severe rupture of the hamstring. If the injury is mild, tightness in the affected area, minimal pain, and relatively normal walking can occur. In this stage, gentle isometric exercises and the RICE protocol are generally recommended.

However, if symptoms get worse, a grade 2 moderate strain could have occurred. The timeline for Grade 2 strains varies from 3-8 weeks, with symptoms such as sharp pain in the area, noticeable swelling/bruising, and loss of strength and ability to engage and use the muscle.

Although unlikely, due to the risks of re-injury, Knueppel should rest and if he feels even a slight amount of pain, immediately be sent to the medical office, as re-injuring a grade 1 or 2 strain can lead to a severe grade 3 complete rupture of the hamstring. In this scenario, the patient can not walk, has severe pain, and major weakness. This could even require surgery and take 4-6 months to recover from.

Kon Knueppel Is Projected To Have A Massive Season Regardless

The sharpshooter sophomore had a standout season in his rookie campaign, becoming the first rookie in NBA history to lead the league in 3-pointers made. In the process, he absolutely shattered the previous rookie record of 206 3-pointers made in their rookie season, setting a new, perhaps impossible mark of 273 makes from beyond the arc.

The Charlotte Hornets are one of the most anticipated young teams in the NBA, with the rise of Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel, as well as the additions of Coby White, Grayson Allen, and Ryan Nembhard. The Hornets have a bright future ahead after trading the long-time face of the franchise, LaMelo Ball, to the Timberwolves for Naz Reid and picks.

Kon Knueppel was a core reason why the Hornets had a massive turnaround during the last few years, going from the worst team in the NBA with a 19-63 record in the 2024-25 season to qualifying for the play-in tournament with a 44-38 record as the 9th-best team in the Eastern Conference.

The biggest concern for the Hornets isn’t if they can compete in a loaded, uphauled Eastern Conference. They have proven themselves following last years half-season comeback into the play-in tournament. They have shown, at times, their true dominance without LaMelo Ball, but now the real test is if Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel can lead the Hornets to the playoffs for the first time in the 2020’s.

Dimitri is a sports journalist and writer for BallersCulture.com. With over 5 years of experience in writing, follow him on his X and YouTube, where he posts daily analysis and reports to his thousands of followers.