MEDIA DAY 2025 – Kon Knueppel Media Availability

Khan, happy first NBA media day to you. Uh you spoke at the end of summer league. Uh just how excited you were to get to this point. Uh just what has the acclamation process been like for you kind of getting more and more comfortable here in Charlotte, being around your teammates the last couple months and uh I guess just overall this is obviously a day you’ve been waiting for for a long time. Just how excited are you to get to camp and uh get the preseason underway? Yeah, I mean we’ve been here for the last month. Um you know, practicing, playing a lot. Um, so it’s it’s been good that way, getting used to the guys, being in the building. Um, and just really looking forward to ramping it up here for the for the next week and as we head into preseason. Khan, I know that there’s a little bit of carryover, not 100% carryover from the guys you saw in Vegas to those who you’ll break camp with in Charleston, but but what can what you guys accomplish there contribute to a winning culture with this franchise? Yeah, I mean I think when you play games, you play to win. Um, so, you know, it’s it’s it’s awesome to to get a win in summer league. Um, but I I think it’s I mean, it’s different. Like, we had what, three or four guys on that are on the the summer league team or maybe maybe a few more, but that were actually playing. Um, so it’s it’s a different different group. Um, but I think that can do a lot for an organization. You know, they they care about it. Um, every team wants to go there and win. So, to come away with that uh is big. and you know hopefully um some of that carries over. I I don’t know how much it really does, but uh which of your new teammates has made the biggest impression on you, whether it’s advice, whether it’s taking you under his wing, something like that. Um you know, I think Grant does a really good job. You know, he’s he’s not uh not being able to play obviously with the the knee injury, but um just being a very good job being a great teammate coming in. uh tell telling people what he thinks. Uh but also just being a welcoming guy to talk to, you know, he’s he’s he’s a big talker. Um and we love I love it. Um just makes a makes a young guy feel comfortable. Khan, uh we know about your shot obviously, but uh Coach Lee and even LaMelo talks about your your hops, man, your dunk ability. And when you hear talk about the ability to go out there and throw one down, man, what’s your thoughts about that? Yeah, I’m not a high flyer by any means. Um, I think, uh, you know, I had a couple here in this this month, so maybe that that surprised some people a little bit, but uh, you know, I think being able to sneak up on people a little bit athletically, um, you got to be pretty athletic to play in the NBA. Um, so I mean, it’s been been a good development, I guess. And then coach mentioned defense for you. Uh, something you want to take pride in and you feel people will challenge you that side of the ball. What about that? How much do you want to show people that you were a two-way player, not just an offensive player out there? Yeah, I mean, I think that’s big. I think anybody knows that that defense is super important in basketball. It’s half the game. Um, so you don’t want to be a liability. And I think, uh, being out there, being being in my positions early, uh, makes me appear quicker. Um, and I think that’s, uh, that’s going to be really helpful for the team, you know, being a really good team defender. Um, and, you know, that’s that’s where I want to be. consistent theme when over here to your right when consistent theme when Charles and Jeff talk about you is they bring up your competitiveness and that’s you know one of the big things bring to the table also with the guys the team acquired this summer Colin and Spencer have you know spoken about that spoken about that about them as well why is it important for you to come in and attack every day and just play with that sort of competitive fire why is that going to be important for this franchise going forward you bringing that I mean I think if you have a bunch of guys in on a team or in an organization that want to compete and want to win, you’re going to have at the end of the day, you’re probably going to have a competitive team um that’s going to win games. Um so having as many people uh that care about that as possible in the building um is is going to be really really helpful and you know I just want to be one of those guys. Hi K, a lot of people have already projected you as part of the team USA for the 2028 Olympics. What does it feel like to have so much attention and pressure as a rookie? Um, you know, I you try not to focus on it too much. Um, to be honest, you focus on your teammates. Um, and what you can contribute to the team right now, you know, um, talking about the Olympic stuff, like I’m not not worried about it. Uh, just trying to be the best player I can be. K, you talked about your athleticism and you said maybe you’re not as athletic as some other players. Why has that made you actually a better basketball player than if you maybe were uber athletic? It’s a good question. I mean, I don’t I don’t really I can’t rely on it, you know. I have to be more more skilled. Got to think the game a little bit better. Um got to be into uh in tune with the game plan a little bit better. Um and personnel and the preparation. Um so I think that can that helps me a lot on the mental side of the game. Um but also just in in skill. And by the way, the Hornets took two pass took you over two big-time scorers right after you. Uh, does that say something to you maybe that how you’re going to fit on this team that you’re a better fit and a better player maybe to take them to the next level? Yeah, I think I, you know, I’m confident in my ability to affect winning with whoever I’m on the court with. Um, and I think I fit really well with the guys we have on this team. Con, we haven’t heard much from you since summer league. Charles was just in here and kind of was laughing about how he you were quote furious after you weren’t able to play in the backtoback with the injuries going on. What does that say about the level of competitiveness that you’ve been alluding to that you’re going to be bringing to this team and how you can affect the game in that way? Yeah, I mean I think you just I just want to play. Um, you know, this is my job now. I love I love the sport. Doesn’t feel like a job coming in here every day and getting better. So, um, you know, just have just having the love of the game. We want guys that want to play the game, um, and guys that want to win. And I think, uh, you know, I I don’t I don’t love sitting out watching the game. Um, uh, so, uh, yeah. Can you paint the picture of that conversation just so because it was it was a pretty funny moment he shared with us earlier? Yeah, I mean, they told they told, uh, they told me I probably wasn’t going to play the backtoback. There were backto-backs for the entirety of summer league. And if you remember, our uh the championship game was a backto-back. So, um we we got that figured out. Colin, one of the last times we got to talk to you was the uh I guess summer league workouts, the day you had signed your deal. I’m curious, what was the first thing you bought with your uh your new monies? Um I got a nice apartment and I got a Ford Explorer, black Ford Explorer. Khan. Uh, quick question. Fate of the universe. Game on the line. Who’s taking a last shot? Iguodala or Kenuvo? Iguodal. Iguodala. Not Khan. Yeah. Game on the line. It’s a clip, right? Hey, do you feel any extra pressure with being the fourth overall pick in the draft? Um, you know, obviously like we we just talked about it in there as a team. uh the outward expectations uh aren’t going to affect us. You know, we’re we’re all about we’re all about the team and what we can do uh to execute. So, I think um just just doing whatever I can to to help our team um and all the all the other personal stuff will come.

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