Back in June, one name dominated the headlines around the NBA Draft.
While Cooper Flagg was certainly creating the most buzz, it was his Duke teammate Kon Knueppel who was quietly waiting to burst onto the scene.
The Hornets selected Knueppel fourth overall in this last draft, with some in the media being split. He had a stellar season at Duke alongside Flagg, averaging 14.4 points per game on 40% shooting from three and over 90% from the charity stripe.
There were, however, questions about whether some of this success stemmed from the opponents’ attention to Flagg.
Knueppel hasn’t skipped a beat
So far in his young NBA career, Knueppel has been stellar, proving any doubters wrong. With early-season injuries to both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Knueppel has had the chance to shine.
Over the last week, the rookie guard posted 24 points against Utah, 20 against New Orleans, 30 against Miami, and 19 against Los Angeles (Lakers). He’s clearly getting comfortable with higher usage.
In the latest edition of the NBA Kia Rookie Ladder, Knueppel has officially taken the number one spot. I’m sure he’s holding it over his ex-teammate and number one overall pick Cooper Flagg’s head for as long as he can.
With the Hornets seemingly being a team that can gather good pieces but never quite figure it out, it will be interesting to see how the next few years pan out. Patience is running thin with LaMelo, but with Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Charlotte’s other rookie, Ryan Kalkbrenner, the future could finally be bright for the Hornets.