Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is unquestionably the greatest shooter in NBA history. Curry holds various three-point records, including being the NBA’s all-time leader in threes made with 4,131. He’s almost 1,000 clear of James Harden (3,240) in second place and is likely to extend his lead even further by the time he retires.
While some believe Curry will put that record beyond reach, Hall of Famer Reggie Miller stated on the Dan Patrick Show that Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel could surpass him on that list one day.
“He’s winning Rookie of the Year,” Miller said. “… Dare I say this? Is Stephen Curry gonna be a little nervous in about 15 years?”
Miller was basing this on the fact that Curry didn’t shoot too many threes in his first few seasons in the NBA. He averaged 2.1 threes made per game over his first three seasons, while Knueppel is at 3.7 as a rookie.
Curry also managed to play just 23 games in his third season, and Knueppel could potentially have a sizable lead over him after his third season. Miller, who once held the record for most threes made with 2,560, made it clear, though, that the Hornets forward would have to avoid the injury bug and have a long career to pull this off.
“But here’s the problem,” Miller stated. “You got to stay healthy. Longevity. 17 years, 18 years for Stephen Curry. Can Kon Knueppel do that over a long period of time? I want to see it.”
Now, Curry’s record might not actually end up being something that is viewed as beyond reach in a decade or two. The number of threes that teams are shooting is going to keep going up, and that could well lead to someone catching up to him.
That said, it is way too early to start talking about Knueppel breaking Curry’s record when he has played just 17 games in the NBA so far. What is true, though, is that he is currently shooting at a historic rate.
No player in NBA history has ever finished their rookie season with an average of even 3.0 three-pointers made per game. Sacramento Kings‘ Keegan Murray currently holds the record at 2.6, and Knueppel is on pace to smash it.
Of course, we have seen so many players hit the rookie wall over the years. It is very much possible that Knueppel might be a lot closer to Murray by the time this 2025-26 season ends. So, perhaps we should only start the conversation once we see how his rookie season pans out.
As for Miller saying Knueppel, the fourth pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, will win Rookie of the Year, he is certainly among the frontrunners. The 20-year-old is averaging 19.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game for the Hornets.
Knueppel isn’t just chucking up shots either, as he is shooting 49.1% from the field and 43.8% from beyond the arc. Rookies are not supposed to be able to do what he has done so far.
Hornets forward Miles Bridges stated that Knueppel has been their best player this season, and that might not be an exaggeration. He has been that good. It had seemed like a foregone conclusion before the start of the season that Cooper Flagg would win Rookie of the Year, but his former Duke teammate is looking like the better bet at this point.
