Hornets wing Kon Knueppel, who has quickly emerged as one of the early favorites in the Rookie of the Year conversation, left Friday night’s matchup in Orlando after injuring his right ankle late in the second quarter.
The team later confirmed that he would not return for the second half of what ultimately became a Charlotte win.
The injury occurred when Knueppel went up to challenge a floater near the rim and appeared to land on Desmond Bane’s foot, causing his ankle to twist awkwardly as he came down.
He was able to leave the floor under his own power but was clearly uncomfortable, prompting the medical staff to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the game.
Afterward, head coach Charles Lee provided an encouraging update, noting that X-rays on Knueppel’s ankle came back negative.
While that rules out a fracture, the team will likely continue to monitor swelling and soreness before determining his availability going forward.
Injury Notes: Knueppel, Sengun, Fox, Davis, Adebayo https://t.co/AkYLm1Whhs pic.twitter.com/dKKbatZUzt
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) December 27, 2025
