3‑Point contest thriller
Kon Knueppel edged LaMelo Ball to win the NBA 3‑Point Contest by a single made three, a razor‑thin finish that grabbed headlines. (x.com). The event also produced a rare marksman stat — the pair formed the first duo with 270+ career threes since Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. (x.com).
Kon Knueppel finished the National Basketball Association regular season with 270 made threes, one more than LaMelo Ball’s 269, after Charlotte’s April 12 win over New York. (nba.com) (espn.com) The National Basketball Association leaders page listed Knueppel first in the league in three-pointers made and Ball second when the regular season ended Sunday. The gap was a single make: 270 for Knueppel, 269 for Ball. (nba.com) Charlotte closed the season 44-38 and secured a play-in berth in the Eastern Conference after a 110-96 home win over the Knicks on April 12. In that game, Ball made six threes and Knueppel made three. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) That finish put two Hornets above the 270-made threshold that usually belongs to high-volume perimeter offenses. National Basketball Association on ESPN said Ball and Knueppel became the first teammate pair with 270-plus threes each since Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. (youtube.com) (nba.com) Knueppel’s total carried extra weight because he is a rookie. ESPN reported on March 26 that he broke Keegan Murray’s National Basketball Association rookie record for made threes with his 207th, and he kept adding to that mark through the final week. (espn.com) (nba.com) The Hornets drafted Knueppel with the No. 4 pick in 2025, and his shooting changed the shape of their offense in one season. Basketball-Reference lists Charlotte’s 2025 draft class with Knueppel at No. 4 overall, while the team finished 44-38 after going 19-63 a year earlier. (basketball-reference.com) (espn.com) Ball’s side of the race mattered too because he did it in 71 games, compared with 80 for Knueppel. The National Basketball Association leaders page shows Ball took 724 threes and made 267 entering the final standings update, then ESPN’s April 12 box score added six more makes in the finale. (nba.com) (espn.com) By Sunday night, the season-long chase had narrowed to one shot on the stat sheet. Knueppel ended up with the league lead, the rookie record, and a finish that left Ball one three behind. (nba.com)
