STATE FARM 3-POINT CONTEST

February 14, 2026

Kon Knueppel

Press Conference

Q. What are your thoughts on the 3-Point Contest, going back to that competition?

KON KNUEPPEL: Yeah, I felt good about, got a good score out there obviously the first round, then the finals. It was a tough one. Obviously, kind of crapped the bed there in the second round. It's a long sit. Went first and then it was like 30 minutes sitting down. It was tough to get loose again. Yeah, it kind of stinks.

Q. Did you feel hot in warmups? Did you feel like you were going to have a night tonight, have a chance?

KON KNUEPPEL: Yeah, I felt good, felt prepared coming in. Just didn't make the shots in the final round.

Q. What impressed you about watching Dame and Booker up close? That's kind of like what you aspire to be, right?

KON KNUEPPEL: Yeah, just really good streak shooters. I think Devin Booker made nine in a row to start in that final round. So it was cool to watch those guys up close.

Q. To go off of that, when you're immersed with a group like that of the best shooters in the league, do you pick up on little things or ask any questions when you're with them?

KON KNUEPPEL: Just kind of chatting about the specifics of the contest. The three-point balls were really important. If you made one of those, it was kind of game-changing for your round.

So just talked about that, the actual contest, not really shooting itself.

Q. Do you have a favorite Tyrese Proctor story?

KON KNUEPPEL: Well, there was a pretty viral play where I grabbed his leg and he was falling out of bounds to keep him inbounds. He was like, you're a genius. He said that in the game. I didn't even really realize what it was. But him saying you're a genius was pretty funny, because I wasn't really sure what he was talking about at first. I'm looking forward to seeing him soon.

Q. He took a few extra years to get to the league. Why do you think that is?

KON KNUEPPEL: I mean, he came early, too. He came early. I think four years, especially at one school, you see a lot of guys hopping around. It's a credit to him for staying prepared, keep getting better each year. I think he's going to have a long career because of that mental fortitude he had in college.

Q. Is Booker a guy that you've followed closely in that you both have the three-point game, the beautiful form, the three-point stroke, but also that mid-range, too? Is that a guy when you're watching the NBA over the last decade or so, I'd like to sort of play like that guy a little bit?

KON KNUEPPEL: Yeah, I think Devin Booker is a phenomenal player. I feel like he kind of was a little underrated as far as those superstar NBA players. But yeah, like you mentioned, his ability to score at all three levels, he excels in the mid-range, so I think he's a real special player, and it was cool to see him get hot there.