Reactions pour in after Hornets' first-ever Summer League title
The Charlotte Hornets made history on Sunday after winning their first-ever championship in the NBA Summer League.
The Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings, 83-78, in the finals at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. They staved off the furious rally of the Kings, who stormed back from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Kon Kneuppel led the charge for the Hornets with a team-high 21 points, although he struggled from the field with 8-of-21 field goals. He added five rebounds and two assists. The fourth overall pick, who had an encouraging message from Dallas Mavericks star Klay Thompson, was named MVP of the tournament. The Hornets were unbeaten in five games heading to the finals.
Ryan Kalkbrenner provided support with 15 points and nine rebounds, while KJ Simpson chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
The milestone victory should be a huge morale-booster for the Hornets, who have been mired in mediocrity for nearly a decade. They have failed to qualify for the playoffs for nine consecutive seasons.
Fans expressed their support for Charlotte for finally having something to be proud of.
'Wow! Never expected this to happen,' said @DegenArchit3ct.
'They deserve it. What a nice performance,' added @xFactorSOL.
'Best thing they've done since they drafted Kobe,' wrote @parker3cox.
'Hornets kicked ass and took names all the way to the chip. Nice job, fellas. KJ Simpson showed his experience. In every game, he was the leader. Good job, Hornets,' commented @gemini0884.
'Playoff bound. Bookmark this,' declared @BishopWTBz.
An X user couldn't help but post a GIF of the infamous quote of Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett after they won the championship in 2008.
Last season, the Hornets finished with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 19-63, trailing only the Washington Wizards.
Aside from Kneuppel, the squad will rely on holdovers LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller and offseason additions Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie to build on the momentum from their historic crown in the summer tournament.
Related: Check out Hornets' bonkers Summer League championship rings
Related: The Hornets player Kon Knueppel thinks should've won Summer League MVP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
Mavericks' Dereck Lively II wants to help Cooper Flagg in his rookie year
Dereck Lively II is only two years into his career with the Dallas Mavericks, but the former NBA All-Rookie selection wants to help mentor No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg was the AP national college player of the year after leading Duke to the Final Four, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks on 38.5% shooting from 3-point range. He became the 22nd player in program history to be a consensus first-team All-American. The 18-year-old is viewed as a generational prospect on the court and enters next season with tremendous hype after establishing himself as the face of college basketball. Lively was ecstatic that the organization got him as a former Duke alum and is eager to help him. "We welcome in Coop with open arms," Lively said Sunday at his basketball camp, via Christian Clark of The Athletic. "I called him earlier today. He is always having a smile on his face or is cracking a joke. I'm making sure that he is feeling as comfortable as possible, giving him any little detail or any little thing to get him by, because whenever I was in his position, I remember how frightened I was, and I was only 19. He is 18." Flagg debuted with the Mavericks last month in the NBA Summer League, averaging 20.5 points, five rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals on 35.7% shooting from the field. He produced 31 points in his second and final appearance on July 12. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd believes Flagg landed in a good situation, with their mixture of established veterans and up-and-coming players like Lively. He believes Flagg can help them win now and will be pushing him on the court every day to maximize his development. Lively has known Flagg for 2-3 years now, given their connection to Duke. He wants to see Flagg enjoy the transition to the next level and is excited to get to work with him. "He has just been the same, smiling, cracking-joke kid as I've always known," Lively said. "I'm glad that he has been able to still be a person and not having too much of the spotlight rain on him. No matter if he is in the gym or coming by the house, he always just has a smile on his face and is being Coop."
USA Today
9 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Falcons running back eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026
Todd Gurley, who spent one season in Atlanta, will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 The class of 2026 is shaping up to be special 👀 With the conclusion of the NFL's Pro Football Hall of Fame weekend, future Canton hopefuls can now turn their attention to next year's class. Former Falcons running back Todd Gurley will be among the players with first-time eligibility in 2026. After five productive years with the Los Angeles Rams, Gurley was released following the 2019 season. The Falcons signed the former Georgia standout as a free agent in 2020. While Gurley made a name for himself with the Rams, his lone season in Atlanta was underwhelming. Knee injuries got the best of the former top-10 pick. Gurley rushed for 678 yards and nine touchdowns for the Falcons, adding 24 catches for 164 receiving yards. Atlanta got off to an 0-5 start in 2020, prompting team owner Arthur Blank to fire head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff. This didn't help Gurley in what ended up being his final NFL season. Gurley's career may have ended quietly, but he played at an MVP level early on, and should have an outside shot at the Hall of Fame. In 2014, he won the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award despite missing three games. In 2017, he rushed for 1,305 yards and 13 touchdowns, with an additional 64 catches for 788 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions. Gurley was nearly as good during his 2018 season, recording 1,831 yards from scrimmage and 21 total touchdowns. So, while the Falcons didn't get the best of what Gurley had to offer, he was as good as anyone in the game when he was in his prime. RELATED: Falcons rookie compared to Hall of Famer Jared Allen
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Pirates prospect Iverson Allen discusses Sixers legend's impact
The impact in which Philadelphia 76ers legend Allen Iverson had on sports is undeniable. The heart he played with on a nightly basis and the energy he brought against some of the league's giants such as Shaquille O'Neal or Yao Ming. Iverson took home MVP awards, All-Star appearances, scoring titles, and led the Sixers on deep playoff runs on his bony shoulders to get the job done. Leading the Sixers to the finals in 2001 is the last time the franchise has been past Round 2 and he did it while being his authentic self the entire time which endeared him to everybody who watched him and wanted to embody him. In fact, there is a player who has his namesake. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Iverson Allen who was named after the Hall of Fame guard due to his father's affinity for the Sixers legend. In an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer's Alex Coffey, the Pirates' Iverson discussed his name as his father was a basketball player: "They both gave 100 percent,' Allen said. 'They both gave everything for their team. The way my father played is very similar to Allen [Iverson]. The energy, the movement, the dribbling." For the Pirates' sake, they hope their version of Iverson will help them turn things around and move forward in the National League.
