The Charlotte Hornets are approaching a .500 record and climbing NBA power rankings after a strong recent performance. They have won 14 of their last 17 games since mid-January, including victories over the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers. Rookie Kon Knueppel has emerged as a key contributor during this stretch.
The Charlotte Hornets, coming off a 19-win season in 2024-25, are now one game away from a .500 record. Since January 1, the team has been among the league's top performers, holding the NBA's longest active win streak. This surge has propelled them up various power rankings, marking a significant improvement from their recent history where they rarely contended in the Eastern Conference.
On February 25, the Hornets reached 13th in CBS Sports analyst Brad Botkin's rankings. Following two decisive wins—against the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers, by an average margin of 25 points—they improved to 12-3 in their last 15 games. Botkin noted, "Winners of 12 of their last 15. Played Houston and Cleveland to the wire coming out of the All-Star break. Kon Knueppel is on the verge of breaking the rookie 3-point record." Knueppel achieved that milestone in the game against Indiana.
In Bleacher Report's rankings by Andy Bailey on February 27, the Hornets entered the top 10 for the first time in years. Bailey highlighted their 13-3 record since mid-January, which extended to 14-3 after the Blazers victory. He praised Knueppel, stating, "During this run, and thanks in part to Cooper Flagg missing some time with an injury, Kon Knueppel has made it awfully hard to ignore his Rookie of the Year case." Bailey added that Knueppel provides "an all-around steady game on both ends of the floor" and is "already one of the most dangerous floor spacers in the NBA."
Across the two rankings, the Hornets averaged 11.5, positioning them for a solid top-10 placement in upcoming updates. This run represents their strongest stretch since the early 2000s, surpassing even their 2015-16 season when they finished 48-34 as the East's sixth seed.
