DONALD WATKINS | THE CHARLOTTE POST


Kon Knueppel, who earned ACC tournament MVP as a freshman, was taken fourth overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA Draft. 

Dinner at Supperland landed Kon Knueppel in Charlotte.

Knueppel, the Hornets’ first round pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, said his conversations with Charlotte’s front office went well and he felt comfortable if they were to select him.

“I went to dinner with coach (Charles) Lee and (general manager) Jeff Peterson, and it was a really, really good time,” he said. “They separated themselves. I knew them a little bit from the interview at the combine. I really liked them right away, but definitely that dinner was big time and I got to know them well.”

Said Peterson: “It was a great dinner. We ate too much. But he, for me, I think you go the entire season of watching these guys play. I think when you get to sit with them for hours and get to know their personality and truly figure out what makes them tick, what motivates them. So, just getting more insight into his personality was great. He wasn’t very excited about Charles and I, but was very excited, though about (Carolina Panthers quarterback) Andy Dalton, who was in the restaurant with us.”

Knueppel, a 6-7 forward, earned the ACC tournament MVP as a freshman by leading Duke to the title when star Cooper Flagg (who went No. 1 overall) went down with an injury in the quarterfinals. His best asset immediately is shooting – he connected on over 40% from three-point range in his one season with the Blue Devils.

“I think obviously my shooting, that’s something I’m always going to rely on,” Knueppel told Charlotte media Wednesday, “but I think there’s a lot more to me as a player than that, and so hopefully it will get there and keep getting better.” 

Said Peterson: “I think he just has a combination of skill, IQ, and versatility. He embodies just what we want to be about from a DNA standpoint. He makes others better. He doesn’t need the credit. He’s happy for his teammates. I could go on and on and on, of course, the shooting. We saw him early on in the process and really identified him, and continued to follow him, so we’re excited to have him.”

While Kneueppel shot up draft boards during and after the NBA Combine, his defense could be a liability. His athleticism is not off the charts, and he often plays a below the rim style. His ability to change direction is not at an elite level yet.

“I think obviously I have always had the shooting there,” Knueppel said. “The areas to grow are just becoming more dynamic with the ball and off-the-ball shooting, becoming more of a weapon that way, and then also just improving by squeezing every inch of athleticism out of my body as I can.”

How does he fit with the Hornets?

Knueppel can start immediately with the right rotation. With guards LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller as cornerstones, Knueppel believes he feels he can mesh well with them to help Charlotte.

“Those are great basketball players,” Knueppel said. “I think something jumped out [is what] they do when they don’t have the ball… so I think I can complement them well off the ball, moving as a shooter, and then just bring my energy on both ends of the floor.”

Peterson said he feels good about Knueppel’s fit on the roster.

“He’s more than just a shooter,” he said. “He’s a versatile player, but of course, the shooting helps. I think with spacing, we got LaMelo and Brandon out there, just the [spacing] that he’ll provide, but again, he can handle some. I think you saw that actually when they played here in the ACC tournament, and Cooper got hurt and he kind of had to shoulder the load at that position. So again, just his overall versatility is going to help.”

While Knueppel admitted he hasn’t thought too much about how he fits in the lineup, he believes he can contribute.

“I haven’t thought about it too much yet,” he said. “I definitely feel confident in my ability to be able to affect winning with any group of guys out there, and I have good confidence in my ability to find a way to be an effective player out there.”

Mark Williams trade for first round pick

The Hornets acquired the rights to 29th pick Liam McNeeley through a trade, which the details will be finalized in the coming days. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported the trade would send Mark Williams to Phoenix as well as reacquiring Vasilije Micic, who played for Charlotte last season before being traded to the Suns. 

“Obviously coming from Montverde (Academy), and then, of course, going to UConn and Kon at Duke, I just think those guys are both built for the moment,” Peterson said. “Pressure doesn’t get to them. They’ve lived it. They’re coached really, really hard. They put the time in. They work. I would say … there’s going to be somewhat of a learning curve when they get to this level, but again, I think both are ready to rise to the occasion.”

Comments