The Charlotte Hornets have had an amazing Summer League campaign, with a lot of their young players impressing.
They went undefeated throughout the tournament and are set to play the Summer League Final against the Sacramento Kings.
They faced an OKC Thunder side that were also unbeaten in the Semis. However, the Charlotte Hornets pulled off a convincing 109-80 win on the night.
Jaylen Sims led the way for the Hornets as he scored 25 points on 71.4% shooting from the field.
But it was something that Kon Knueppel did that left Hornets fans amazed.
Knueppel was always going to have eyes on him as he was the fourth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
He impressed everyone with his Summer League performances as he averaged 14.3 points and displayed a lot of grit for the team.
One of the biggest examples of how much Knueppel cares about winning came in the semifinal against the Thunder.
The 19-year-old had already scored 17 points and the Hornets had a comfortable 26-point lead. But Knueppel jumped for a loose ball and on that play hurt his head, which led to him being taken out of the game.
It is not great that Knueppel suffered an injury, but that shows how committed he is to winning.
The Hornets have not had any success in recent years, but the addition of Knueppel has brought a lot of hope to the organization.
The Duke player revealed how Klay Thompson’s legacy inspired him recently.
Like the four-time champion, Knueppel has been a brilliant shooter throughout his stint in college and if he manages to continue the same in the NBA, the Hornets might have just added a talented two-way player to their roster.
Knueppel’s Summer League performances have impressed even the Hornets Summer League coach Chris Jent.
He revealed Knueppel was nervous in the first game, but has since come into his own and is showing his true abilities.
Jent said: “He’s just playing more comfortable. He’s comfortable now. First game, a little nervous, it’s the first game of Summer League.
He’s a rookie, it’s to be anticipated. Now he just found a bit of a rhythm and flow, and it’s only going to get better.”
Knueppel already spoke on his excitement to play alongside the other players on the Hornets.
LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges are the team’s core three players. But Knueppel can certainly bring dynamism to the team in terms of his shooting and defensive prowess.
