Fair or unfair, former Duke sharpshooter Kon Knueppel is destined to have his rookie season somewhat overshadowed by Cooper Flagg, but that doesn’t mean he won’t shine bright in his own right. Already, Knueppel is earning the praise and admiration of his new head coach for the work ethic and mentality he brings every day.
Playing Robin to Flagg’s Batman last season with the Blue Devils at least had its benefits. Knueppel had no shortage of eyes on his team and the chance to showcase how he can play within the team’s needs—an opportunity many college players aren’t afforded.
The combination of his elite-level shooting, constant motor, and willingness to do whatever is asked of him for the sake of the team spoke to the Charlotte Hornets, who are not only in need of high-end talent but also a competitive spark. In Knueppel, they have found both.
Against the Brooklyn Nets in the team’s first regular-season game, Knueppel scored 11 points while knocking down three of four 3-pointers. Adding on five rebounds, Knueppel did everything his Hornets needed in what was both his NBA debut and his first career start.
Ahead of the team’s second matchup of the season, in Philadelphia against the Sixers, Hornets head coach Charles Lee was asked about his thoughts on the rookie.
“The thing that I love about Kon is his mentality to do whatever it takes to win, whatever it takes to add to a lineup,” Lee said. “[The] dude is fearless. He has one thing on his mind, and that’s to win, and that’s to compete. He’s done it from the first day he got to Charlotte. You see it in his individual workouts. You see it in what he did to help our summer league team win a championship, and he did it at Duke, obviously, and our front office identified that, and since he’s been here, every day at camp, he’s been super competitive.
“He’s got a great basketball IQ, and he’s obviously very curious and hungry for more knowledge, too. So I haven’t been surprised by anything I’ve seen from him, because the work ethic and the mentality are in a great place.
Knueppel would go on to come off the bench for the Hornets Saturday night against the Sixers, but contributed 14 points off the bench, playing extended minutes after Charlotte wing Brandon Miller went down with left shoulder soreness. Depending on the length of Miller’s absence, Knueppel could find himself in an even more featured role than expected.
Judging by Charles Lee’s words, Knueppel will undoubtedly be ready for whatever is asked of him.