Latest news with #Knueppel
Forbes
6 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Kon Knueppel's Endearing Self Assessment Emphasizes What The Hornets Already Knew
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 20: Kon Knueppel was named the Summer League championship game MVP as ... More Charlotte Hornets team wins the championship game of NBA 2K26 Summer League against Sacramento Kings at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on July 20, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) Kon Knueppel was a Summer League standout. The Charlotte Hornets made him the fourth overall pick in this year's NBA Draft. The former Duke Blue Devil immediately showcased why the franchise should feel great about that decision. Knueppel helped lead the Hornets to a championship in Las Vegas. In the process, he earned a spot on the All-Summer League Second Team. The six-foot-seven forward averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals. While Sin City statistics are the least important part of what a player demonstrates at Summer League, those numbers reflect Knueppel's all-around impact. However, even on the heels of a championship, he was hard on himself while giving Forbes his assessment of how his game grew in Las Vegas. "First game was rough, didn't play well," conveyed Knueppel. "But it's the NBA now, you have so many games, and I think [having] the next game, forget about what happened last game [mentality]. Even tonight, I didn't play very well. I didn't shoot it great at all, really, I had some bad turnovers, bad defensive plays, just next play, next play." That attitude will endear him to his new teammates, coaching staff, and people throughout the Hornets' organization. It captured an individual who has no interest in becoming content or complacent. Instead, a growth mindset fuels his drive to maximize his potential. The Hornets's message to Kon Knueppel Another sign of Knueppel's competitive character came in Charlotte's 109-80 Semifinal win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He dove to the floor in pursuit of a loose ball. As he got a hand on it, the Wisconsin native crashed into Thunder guard Jazian Gortman's legs. That resulted in the latter inadvertently driving Knueppel's head into the hardwood. That resulted in five stitches to treat the cut above his eye. However, there was no way he was going to miss the Summer League Finals. "We had to fight a lot of people to get me on the floor today," voiced Knueppel after the Hornets captured the organization's first championship of any kind. "It wasn't necessarily from within the organization. It was a no-brainer for me. I just wanted to get out there and help the guys and get this done." While on the ESPN broadcast of Charlotte's title win, an 83-78 victory vs. the Sacramento Kings, head coach Charles Lee said of the situation, "My man's out here playing right now with stitches on the side of his eye, like come on. Just a warrior out there, which I absolutely love about him. And there was no way we were going to be able to keep him out of this game today." Knueppel's bench boss also spoke enthusiastically about the well-rounded nature of what Knueppel showcased in Las Vegas. "Always just trying to impact winning," said Lee. "I think that everyone sees what he can bring with the shooting, but I think he's an overall, really just solid competitor. Defensively, he's made a couple [of] great stops, I think so far here, and he communicates at a really high level. "And then, on top of shooting the ball, he's made the right pass play when he needs to. Defense collapse, he's throwing lobs, if he has to play off of two feet, he has some great footwork after the dribble as well." Knueppel told Forbes he appreciated his head coach returning to support their pursuit of a Summer League championship. He also shared the messaging he has received from Lee and the Hornets' coaching staff. "Charles came back tonight to watch us, which was pretty cool," said Knueppel. "They're watching for the right basketball plays, making the right reads; it's not necessarily about statistics or anything. But making the right plays, both sides of the floor, being in good positioning, those are the things that are important." To the delight of Lee and Charlotte's coaching staff, Knueppel displayed a good feel for the game and a high competitive character that fits perfectly with the culture they're working to establish in the Queen City. While he did so, he demonstrated the dynamic nature of his play, something that deserves more recognition than it receives. What the Hornets saw from Kon Knueppel at Summer League wasn't a revelation to them; it was the reinforcement of why they drafted him. It was the first step in validating that he will become a core member of their build toward a brighter future.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets' Kon Knueppel exits Summer League game with head injury
The post Hornets' Kon Knueppel exits Summer League game with head injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Charlotte Hornets went undefeated through their first four games at NBA Summer League. The Hornets earned a spot in the semifinals easily, squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a spot in the championship on the line. The Hornets, led by No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel and Jaylen Sims, played a dominant game. However, Knueppel exited with a head injury. According to the Washington Post's Ben Golliver, Knueppel injured his head while diving for a loose ball. He was able to get up and walked to Charlotte's locker room under his own power. Hornets fans don't want to see their lottery pick suffer any injuries. However, there are some, like Golliver, who are impressed. Knueppel dived for the loose ball with his team winning by nearly 30 points. He did not have to hit the floor, but he did anyways. Even though his play in Summer League has been inconsistent, Knueppel has shown flashes of who he could be in the NBA. Before he left the game, Knueppel was having arguably his best game so far this summer. Through 21 minutes, the former Duke Blue Devil had 17 points and two steals. Luckily for his team, Sims stepped up in his absence. The third-year pro led the way for Charlotte with 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field. The Hornets blew out the Thunder 109-80 in the second NBA Summer League semifinal game. They have a date with the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in the Summer League title game. Charlotte has not released any information on Knueppel's injury or whether or not he will play in the Hornets' last Summer League game. Knueppel is the face of a 2025 Hornets draft class that includes Liam McNeely, Sion James, and Ryan Kalkbrenner. If their efforts in Summer League are any indication, Charlotte could have one of the best groups of rookies in the league. Related: Collin Sexton breaks silence after trade to Hornets Related: Charlotte Hornets 2025 NBA free agency grades for every signing
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel's ‘awesome' reaction to encouraging Klay Thompson message
The post Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel's 'awesome' reaction to encouraging Klay Thompson message appeared first on ClutchPoints. It's been an impressive summer league for Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel, who recently suffered an injury scare but has largely looked the part of being the number four overall pick in the draft. Charlotte is desperately hoping that this is the year they will finally take a step forward as a franchise after years of being stuck in the NBA cellar. Recently, Knueppel participated in an interview with journalist Taylor Rooks, and during the interview, Rooks showed him a personalized video from Dallas Mavericks shooting guard and future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson, whom Knueppel says he has modeled his game after. 'Just wanted to wish you well, and thanks for the words of trying to model your game after me,' Thompson said, per Brigid Kennedy of Sports Illustrated. 'It makes me feel kind of old, but also very appreciative of great young athletes like yourself, who are coming to take over the league and carry on the torch of what we started. What you and Cooper did last season, and the rest of the guys, incredible run, especially for a bunch of freshmen. That's unheard of, really. Some Fab Five stuff. I'm just excited for your next chapter in the league. Never lose that confidence that got you here, especially when shooting the basketball.' 'That's awesome,' said Knueppel after watching the video. Can the Hornets turn it around? The Hornets have not participated in postseason basketball since they were eliminated in the play-in round of the 2021-22 NBA season. The 2025-26 campaign figures to be something of a 'prove it' year for point guard LaMelo Ball, who is an electrifying talent but has yet to prove that he can stay healthy consistently or contribute to winning basketball. The Hornets are hoping that rookies Knuepel and Liam McNeeley will be able to provide some much-needed floor spacing for Ball this year, and that Ball will be able to stay on the court. The Hornets' season will begin in late October, with the schedule set to be announced in August. Related: Hornets' Kon Knueppel exits Summer League game with head injury Related: Collin Sexton breaks silence after trade to Hornets
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Check out Hornets' bonkers Summer League championship rings
The post Check out Hornets' bonkers Summer League championship rings appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Charlotte Hornets have not been to the NBA Playoffs in nearly a decade, but at least on Sunday night, they won an NBA Summer League title. It's not much of an achievement for the franchise, but it's something clearly enough to warrant players to get championship rings.' Here's a look for one of those shiny rings given to the players after Charlotte defeated the Sacramento Kings in the title game at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas to the tune of an 83-78 score. Charlotte leaned on a balanced attack to take care of business against the Kings, with 2025 NBA draft No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel lighting it up with 21 points on an 8-for-21 shooting from the floor on his way to winning the NBA Summer League championship game Most Valuable Player award. Knueppel's fellow rookie and Hornets' second-rounder Ryan Kalkbrenner had a near-double-double of 15 points and nine rebounds with a steal and a block while KJ Simpson gathered 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists. As a team, the Hornets shot just 39.7 percent from the field and also committed 15 turnovers. However, Sacramento failed to capitalize more on those errors by Charlotte and didn't shoot efficiently either, going 36.5 percent from the floor. The Kings were led by Isaac Jones, who had 24 points and 11 rebounds. Although winning the NBA Summer League isn't such a prestigious accomplishment and the competition itself is more about player evaluation than actually topping the field, the Hornets can still feel good about what they just achieved in Sin City. For a franchise that doesn't have much to write home about over the last several years, a Summer League title isn't too shabby of a feat. Seeing Knueppel and Kalkbrenner flourish in the Summer League also adds to the hope that the Hornets will be able to turn things around in the near future, perhaps as soon as the 2025-26 campaign. The duo of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller is brimming with potential and adding Knueppel and Kalkbrenner to the mix could further brighten the future of the Hornets franchise, which last made the NBA Playoffs in 2016. The Hornets have also just averaged 22.3 wins over the last three seasons. Related: Hornets' Summer League championship win breaks embarrassing franchise curse Related: The Hornets player Kon Knueppel thinks should've won Summer League MVP
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Colorado star KJ Simpson wins NBA Summer League title with the Charlotte Hornets
Former Colorado basketball star point guard KJ Simpson concluded his second summer league stint with an NBA Summer League championship after the Charlotte Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings, 83-78. Simpson started for the Hornets along with Charlotte's 2025 first-round selection, former Duke guard Kon Knueppel. Despite the win, Simpson struggled offensively in the final but made up for it in other areas. In 31 minutes of action, Simpson tallied 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists on 4-of-15 shooting from the field and 1-of-6 from 3-point range. Knueppel, who was named the game's MVP, praised the former Colorado guard for being the Hornets' leader throughout the Summer League. Simpson was quick to point out that Knueppel was deserving of the award. "Kon, nah, he deserved that, man. He was excellent in this game," Simpson said. "We all played well. It [the MVP award] could have been anybody. I just wanted to go out there and help lead the team. Just be a good vocal leader. It was a team win, shoutout to Kon, shoutout to everybody, man. Simpson is entering his second year in the NBA and has shown significant growth during the 10-day summer event, averaging 16 points, 5.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game in six Summer League games. The Hornets have to like what they saw from Simpson, a former second-round pick, leading Charlotte's young core to a title. Simpson and the Hornets got the win over former Buff Nique Clifford, who scored 10 points in 33 minutes of action. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
