The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke standout Kon Knueppel fourth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Isaiah Thomas, who played for the Hornets, had nothing but nice things to say about their draft pick.
While the San Antonio Spurs stole the spotlight for all the right reasons at the NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets had quite a night, adding Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick and Liam McNeely with the 29th pick after trading Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for pick 29 and a 2029 first-rounder.
Both of Charlotte’s picks earned an “A” grade, although the addition of Knueppel was one of the very best selections in the draft.
Knueppel was the ACC Tournament MVP and finished his lone season with the Duke Blue Devils, averaging 14.4 points, four rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 40.6% from deep. He also has the competitive drive that helped make Cooper Flagg a household name, even if Knueppel was overshadowed by his college teammate.
While Isaiah Thomas is perhaps best known for his exceptional two-season run with the Boston Celtics or for being the very last pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, he did play 17 games for the Hornets during the 2021-22 season. He averaged 8.3 points and played alongside LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, franchise centerpieces who will welcome Knueppel into the fold.
While Thomas worked on an NBA comeback, he got the chance to work out and play alongside Knueppel and was left impressed.
“Does all the right stuff, in all the right places on both ends of the floor, can shoot it at a high level and doesn’t even need the ball to make a impact,” posted Thomas on social media after the draft.
With Ball being a dominant point guard who needs the rock in his hands to succeed, pairing him with Brandon Miller and Knueppel, two of the better wing prospects in recent years, helps give the Hornets the direction they have sorely needed.
Dating back to 1984, when head coach Mike Krzyzewski led the Blue Devils to his first NCAA tournament appearance, Duke has been the model of reliability and excellence at the college level. Jon Scheyer assumed the mantle in 2022, and Duke has remained elite.
The Blue Devils have certain expectations, and Krzyzewski’s military influence is apparent.
The Hornets, meanwhile, have always had a rather chaotic locker room, and current and former players, including Bridges and Miller, have been in serious trouble for off-the-court incidents.
Heading into the season, the only real veteran on a guaranteed contract is Jusuf Nurkic, and he isn’t exactly known for his leadership qualities.
As Thomas pointed out, Knueppel is “The guy everybody wants on their team.” Perhaps he can emerge as a leader, although he is only 19 years old with only one year of college experience, so it will take him a while to win over the locker room.
