<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-kon-knueppel-concern-2025-nba-summer-league');   ga('set', 'title', 'Charlotte Hornets’ biggest Kon Knueppel concern despite winning NBA Summer League MVP');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kon-Knueppel.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Charlotte Hornets’ biggest Kon Knueppel concern despite winning NBA Summer League MVP</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-23T09:43:14-07:00">July 23rd, 9:43am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-23T09:43:14-07:00">July 23rd, 9:43am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Charlotte Hornets entered the 2025 NBA offseason with one clear goal — to turn the page. After years of mediocrity, mismanagement, and mounting losses, the Hornets needed a spark. That <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/hornets-news-behind-kon-knueppel-charlotte-is-on-the-path-to-establishing-winning-culture">spark may have arrived in the form of Kon Knueppel</a>, the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, who just capped off a sensational Summer League campaign by leading the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-summer-league-championship-win-embarrassing-franchise-curse">Hornets to their first-ever championship</a> of any kind, a title run that ended with a thrilling 83-78 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas.</p><p>Despite the optimism, however, the Hornets must proceed with caution. Winning the Summer League is no guarantee of regular-season success, and Knueppel, while promising, still comes with critical development questions the franchise will need to address before fully counting on him to be a foundational piece.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Charlotte Hornets are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA2KSummerLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA2KSummerLeague</a> Champions!</p><p>Undefeated in Vegas 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/rKg2bYkGUm">pic.twitter.com/rKg2bYkGUm</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1947160357937574228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>In five appearances, Knueppel averaged 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, while shooting 40.6% from the field and 34.3% from deep. But beyond the box score, it was his commitment that turned heads. While other top lottery picks were benched or load-managed, Knueppel played through pain and pressure, viewing every Summer League minute as a chance to set a new tone in Charlotte.</p><p>Knueppel, the smooth-shooting wing out of Duke, was everything Charlotte hoped for when they selected him: tough, competitive, and hungry to win. He scored a team-high 21 points in the championship game, earning Summer League Finals MVP honors, <a href="https://www.nba.com/news/nba-2k26-all-summer-league-teams-announced" rel="noopener">NBA 2K26 All-Summer League Second Team</a>, and did so despite playing through a painful eye injury that required five stitches. For a franchise with a tortured history, Knueppel’s grit was a breath of fresh air.</p><h2><b>Hornets Summer League glory: Kon Knueppel shines, but concerns remain</b></h2><p>Yet, despite the MVP award, there’s a lingering question hovering around Knueppel: Can he defend at an NBA level?</p><p>Knueppel’s effort is unquestioned, but his lateral quickness, closeouts, and on-ball defense showed signs of concern. At times, he was beaten off the dribble by quicker wings or got caught navigating screens. His awareness is high, but the foot speed isn’t elite, and in the modern NBA, where wings are often the most dynamic players on the floor, that’s a red flag.</p><p>Even <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/exclusive-dylan-harper-vj-edgecombe-kon-knueppel-nba-summer-league">Knueppel himself acknowledged the gap</a>: “Going from college to the NBA, the one area I’ve worked on a lot is spacing, especially defensively. These are elite players, and you have to be locked in with your positioning at all times,” he said.</p><p>In college, Knueppel could get by with positioning and effort. In the NBA, he’ll be guarding All-Stars and elite shot creators nightly. That adjustment may take time, and without significant improvement, opposing offenses could target him in pick-and-rolls and iso sets.</p><h2><b>Knueppel’s Summer League: Toughness, versatility, and willingness</b></h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">KON KNUEPPEL CLUTCH 3-POINTER TO GO UP 4 🔥</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomerAzarly</a>) <a href="https://t.co/Eeb8TucO9M">pic.twitter.com/Eeb8TucO9M</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1947144843823612401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Knueppel’s Summer League journey was about more than stats; it was about culture-setting. In a league where many young stars opt to sit out games, Knueppel actively requested to play every game, even after suffering a gash above his eye during the semifinals. That decision alone endeared him to Charlotte fans and coaches.</p><p>While his shooting numbers were a concern (8-of-21 FG and 4-of-11 3PT in the final), his shot-making under pressure, quick release, and size at 6-foot-6 showed why scouts were so high on him during the draft process. He demonstrated a knack for secondary playmaking, finding cutters and creating space with off-ball movement. His ability to shift between small forward and shooting guard provided lineup flexibility that the Hornets desperately lacked last season.</p><p>Knueppel was also praised for his basketball IQ, stemming from his time at Duke under Jon Scheyer. His decision-making in late-game moments, particularly in the title match against Sacramento, was impressive for a rookie.</p><h2><b>How the Hornets can mitigate this</b></h2><p>The Hornets are aware of these challenges, and their coaching staff has already begun emphasizing strength training and footwork drills for the rookie. His frame is solid, and if his conditioning and agility catch up, Knueppel could develop into at least an average NBA defender, especially in team schemes that mask individual flaws.</p><p>With LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller locked in as the top two scoring options, Knueppel doesn’t need to be a star right away. Instead, the Hornets are hoping he becomes an elite complementary piece: someone who spaces the floor, competes on defense, and plays winning basketball.</p><p>That said, if his defense becomes a liability, it will be hard to keep him on the court in crucial moments. The Hornets’ front office knows how fragile a rebuild can be. They’ve watched previous lottery picks flame out. They can’t afford to make that mistake again.</p><h2><b>What’s next for Hornets and Kon Knueppel</b></h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hornets rising star Kon Knueppel with his Summer League Championship Game MVP and ring 🏆💍</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomerAzarly</a>) <a href="https://t.co/1Y5CGYYNjz">pic.twitter.com/1Y5CGYYNjz</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1947157618578866212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The Hornets are entering a pivotal season. With LaMelo Ball returning from injury and Brandon Miller taking a leap, Charlotte needs production from its role players, Knueppel chief among them. His Summer League heroics gave fans hope, but the real test begins in training camp.</p><p>If he continues to bring the same toughness, humility, and willingness to learn, Knueppel may very well become the culture-changer Charlotte’s been searching for. But until his defense catches up to his offensive polish, there will be concerns about just how high his ceiling truly is.</p><p>The MVP is real. The heart is undeniable. But the Hornets know better than most, one good summer doesn’t make a savior.</p><p>Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Sion James all resemble the character Lee wants on his team, and all four rookies put together solid performances.</p><p>Although none of these four players are freak athletes or star-like talents, they all fit the mold of being dependable, reliable options for the Hornets to begin setting a new standard in Charlotte.</p><p>This should be the main takeaway of why the Hornets are the ultimate winners from the Summer League.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Charlotte Hornets’ biggest Kon Knueppel concern despite winning NBA Summer League MVP

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/hornets-news-behind-kon-knueppel-charlotte-is-on-the-path-to-establishing-winning-culture');   ga('set', 'title', 'Behind Kon Knueppel, Hornets on path to establishing winning culture');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kon-Knueppel-Brandon-Miller-Charles-Lee-Charlotte-Hornets.jpg"><figcaption>CP</figcaption></figure><h1>Behind Kon Knueppel, Hornets on path to establishing winning culture</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-22T18:01:00-07:00">July 22nd, 6:01pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-23T13:24:24-07:00">July 23rd, 1:24pm</time><address><a>Tomer Azarly</a>Tomer Azarly is in his ninth season as the LA Clippers beat writer and NBA reporter for ClutchPoints. From the Lob City era to the Kawhi Leonard-James Harden era, he brings you everything you need to know about the Clippers as well as coast-to-coast coverage of the NBA.In his free time, Tomer likes to play basketball, video games, and draw.You can follow his Twitter and Instagram for all Clippers content.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Charlotte Hornets are been stuck in mediocrity for years, but the franchise finally appears to have a clear direction and is hoping to change its ways. Kon Knueppel and KJ Simpson are hoping to be big parts of the changes happening in Charlotte over the next few seasons.</p><p>Behind a strong game from Knueppel, the Hornets won the Summer League Championship for the first time in the franchise’s history.</p><h2><b>Hornets’ Kon Knueppel reacts to winning Summer League MVP</b></h2><p>Kon Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets brought home the Summer League Championship this past weekend, continuing changes in a positive direction under new General Manager Jeff Peterson and head coach Charles Lee.</p><p>Knueppel finished the title-winning game with a team-high 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists. And that’s with the Hornets’ No. 4 overall pick not even a lock to play a few hours beforehand.</p><p>During the team’s semifinal game on Saturday evening, Kon Knueppel left the game after suffering a laceration above his right eye. He played just 21 minutes, but finished second on the team in points with 17 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. His status for Sunday’s final, however, was up in the air.</p><p>“We had to fight a lot of people to get me on the court today,” Knueppel said after the victory. “You know, it wasn’t necessarily from within the organization, so it was a no-brainer for me. But I just wanted to get out there and help the guys, and get this done tonight.</p><p>“I mean, they just wanted me to know the risk involved. And I thought it was pretty marginal for just a couple stitches. It was a cut. So, it helped. That’s not going to hold me back from playing the championship game.”</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Kon-Knueppel-drives-to-the-basket-durign-the-Charlotte-Hornets-Summer-League-game-against-the-Dallas-Mavericks.jpg"><figcaption>Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Charlotte arrived in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 6th — a full four days before the NBA’s Summer League even tipped off. That allowed the team to practice together, build chemistry, and learn about what NBA life would be like through the league’s “Rookie Transition Program.”</p><p>“It’s been fun. It’s a long time to be here. We were here for two full weeks. But it was a great time. It’s always fun to get out here and play, and I hadn’t played since the Final Four game, so it was really good to get out and compete against high level talent.”</p><p>The Hornets went a perfect 4-0 in regular “season” play, won their semifinal game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 109-80, and advanced to face the Sacramento Kings in the Summer League championship game. The Kings came into Sunday’s final two-time winners of the Summer League title, winning it in its second season in 2014 and in 2021.</p><p>The unique part of the title winning roster is that it featured a number of players who will be on the Hornets roster come training camp in September. Kon Knueppel, KJ Simpson, Liam McNeeley, KJ Simpson, Ryan Kalkbrenner, Tidjane Salaun, Sion James, and Damion Baugh all played for the team in Las Vegas. All of those players are already signed to standard NBA contracts or two-way deals, meaning they’ll have chances to compete for playing time this fall.</p><p>“I’m just really excited to be a part of the team,” Knueppel told ClutchPoints. “You know, I just got here. I can’t wait to get to training camp and, you know, mini camps here in August. It’ll be a lot of fun, you know, get, get with the, with the real guys. And I just can’t wait.</p><p>“It’s a lot of guys that are going to be on the roster, and you always compete to win. So I think building winning habits, even if it is summer league, is very beneficial.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">KON KNUEPPEL CLUTCH 3-POINTER TO GO UP 4 🔥</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomerAzarly</a>) <a href="https://t.co/Eeb8TucO9M">pic.twitter.com/Eeb8TucO9M</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1947144843823612401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Knueppel was named to the All-Summer League Second Team, averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 2.4 three-pointers per game. He did struggle with his efficiency, shooting just 40.6 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three, but his process was solid, repeatedly making the right plays for his team.</p><p>KJ Simpson was another standout for the Charlotte Hornets in Summer League. Alongside Knueppel, Simpson was also named to the All-Summer League Second Team. In six appearances, Simpson averaged 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.8 three-pointers per game.</p><p>“We just fought,” KJ Simpson said after the victory. “We just found a way. I mean from guys going down to guys stepping up, we had some key guys step up tonight. It started obviously with everyone. Kon set the tone and it just trickled down after that, trickle down effect. We just found a way to win. It wasn’t going to be easy. I mean the Kings they got here for a reason. We just knew that if we stay together though, we’ll come out on top.”</p><p>Simpson had eight points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in the Summer League Championship game, leading all players in the game in rebounds and second in assists behind teammate Damion Baugh (nine).</p><p>Five players scored in double-figures for Charlotte, who was without Liam McNeeley, Sion James, and Tidjane Salaun.</p><p>“We just want to carry this momentum, honestly,” KJ Simpson explained how this win can catapult his team. “Carry this momentum. Not just for myself individually, but onto the Hornets. We bringing this winning culture that we just established in Summer League. Obviously myself, Tidjane, the other guys, the rookies, we all were able to build a chemistry by coming out here and competing. So now we just can’t wait to add that to the big group with the Hornets. I’m just happy and I think it’s going to carry over really well.”</p><p>No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, No. 2 pick Dylan Harper of the San Antonio Spurs, No. 6 pick Tre Johnson of the Washington Wizards, played just two games for their teams in Las Vegas. Philadelphia 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe only played one game. Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey didn’t play a single game.</p><p>Kon Knueppel joined New Orleans Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears as the only two lottery picks to play every single one of their games at NBA Summer League. Obviously, a lot of those decisions are out of the hands of the players, but Kon Knueppel made it known he wanted to be out there if he was healthy.</p><p>“I think you play. If you like basketball, you play the games. I know some of the [decisions], a lot of it is out of their hands. People make them sit. But I just want to play.”</p><p>They still have a ways to go and are likely a few years away from being legitimate playoff competitors, but for the first time in a long time, the Hornets appear on the rise. Charlotte has added a good mix of youth with veteran experience, they’ve established a strong coaching staff, and they’re set on a path that should see them competing at a high level in due time.</p><p>“I think coach really instilled the ideas of competitiveness, competing all the time, and then being together,” Knueppel added. “So that’s what we did, and every game we played together, and had a good outcome for us.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Behind Kon Knueppel, Hornets on path to establishing winning culture

Exclusive: What Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel said about NBA Summer League

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-player-kon-knueppel-thinks-shouldve-won-summer-league-mvp');   ga('set', 'title', 'The Hornets player Kon Knueppel thinks should’ve won Summer League MVP');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Hornets-guard-Kon-Knueppel-7-drives-the-ball-against-Mavericks-forward-Matt-Cross-43.jpg"><figcaption>Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>The Hornets player Kon Knueppel thinks should’ve won Summer League MVP</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-21T07:09:26-07:00">July 21st, 7:09am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-21T07:09:26-07:00">July 21st, 7:09am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There won’t be a downtown parade, but the Charlotte Hornets have a championship to be proud of after beating the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Summer League championship game on Sunday night at Thomas &amp; Mack Center in Las Vegas.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppels-awesome-reaction-encouraging-klay-thompson-message">Led by rookie guard Kon Knueppel</a>, the Hornets outlasted the Kings via a score of 83-78. The former Duke Blue Devils star flexed his offensive might in the finals, as he poured in 21 points to go along with five rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes of action. He shot just 8-for-21 from the field, but he went 4-for-11 from behind the arc and finished the contest with a game-high plus-9.</p><p>Thanks to his performance against the Kings, Knueppel was awarded the Most Valuable Player award in the championship game.</p><p>“Winning is always better than losing,” Knueppel said after the game, as the Hornets <a href="https://x.com/i/status/1947155688750248021" rel="noopener">celebrated the title win on the court</a>. “Good competitive game, good to get out here with the guys.”</p><p>However, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppel-exits-summer-league-game-head-injury">Hornets’ No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA draft</a> also did not think that he should have won the MVP award, saying that KJ Simpson deserved it more.</p><p>“I probably didn’t deserve it if it was a whole-week award. KJ was our best player all week. So props to him, man, he made me look good,” added Knueppel.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hornets rising star Kon Knueppel with his Summer League Championship Game MVP and ring 🏆💍</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TomerAzarly</a>) <a href="https://t.co/1Y5CGYYNjz">pic.twitter.com/1Y5CGYYNjz</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1947157618578866212?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>As mentioned by Knueppel, the award was not given for someone’s performance in the entire Summer League, but rather for one’s showing in the championship game.</p><p>In any case, Simpson did have a solid outing versus the Kings. Simpson generated 11 points with seven rebounds and five assists in an all-around performance in 31 minutes. Another Hornets rookie, Ryan Kalkbrenner, provided 15 points and nine rebounds plus a steal and a block.</p><p>Simpson had a bit of an edge over Knueppel and some of his Summer League teammates, as he already has prior NBA experience. He appeared in 36 games with the Hornets in the 2024-25 season, averaging 7.8 points, 3.1 assists and 3.0 boards per contest while posting just a 40.0 percent effective field goal rate.</p><p>Through six games in the 2025 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Simpson, selected in the second round of the NBA draft last year, averaged 16.0 points. Knueppel, on the other hand, recorded 15.6 points per contest.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

The Hornets player Kon Knueppel thinks should’ve won Summer League MVP

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppels-awesome-reaction-encouraging-klay-thompson-message');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel’s ‘awesome’ reaction to encouraging Klay Thompson message');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Knueppel-shoots.jpg"><figcaption>Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel’s ‘awesome’ reaction to encouraging Klay Thompson message</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-20T15:43:29-07:00">July 20th, 3:43pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-20T15:43:29-07:00">July 20th, 3:43pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University senior from Atlanta on track to graduate with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s been an impressive summer league for Charlotte Hornets <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppel-exits-summer-league-game-head-injury">rookie Kon Knueppel</a>, who recently suffered an injury scare but has largely looked the part of being the number four overall pick in the draft. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">Charlotte is desperately hoping</a> that this is the year they will finally take a step forward as a franchise after years of being stuck in the NBA cellar.</p><p>Recently, Knueppel participated in an interview with journalist Taylor Rooks, and during the interview, Rooks showed him<a href="https://www.si.com/nba/klay-thompson-sent-incredibly-sweet-video-message-to-hornets-kon-knueppel" rel="noopener"> a personalized video</a> from Dallas Mavericks shooting guard and future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson, whom Knueppel says he has modeled his game after.</p><p>“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.”</p><p>“That’s awesome,” said Knueppel after watching the video.</p><h2><b>Can the Hornets turn it around?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/IMG_1724.jpeg"><figcaption>Bred Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Hornets have not participated in postseason basketball since they were eliminated in the play-in round of the 2021-22 NBA season.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>The Hornets’ season will begin in late October, with the schedule set to be announced in August.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel’s ‘awesome’ reaction to encouraging Klay Thompson message

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppel-exits-summer-league-game-head-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Hornets’ Kon Knueppel exits Summer League game with head injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Charlotte-Hornets-guard-Kon-Knueppel.jpg"><figcaption>Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Hornets’ Kon Knueppel exits Summer League game with head injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-19T17:19:59-07:00">July 19th, 5:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-19T17:19:59-07:00">July 19th, 5:19pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Charlotte Hornets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Charlotte Hornets went undefeated through their first four games at NBA Summer League. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/charlotte-hornets-overreactions-2025-nba-summer-league">The Hornets earned a spot in the semifinals easily</a>, squaring off against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a spot in the championship on the line. The Hornets, led by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/charlotte-hornets/hornets-news-kon-knueppel-moment-brothers-no-4">No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel</a> and Jaylen Sims, played a dominant game. However, Knueppel exited with a head injury.</p><p>According to the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver, Knueppel <a href="https://x.com/BenGolliver/status/1946719734663438738" rel="noopener">injured his head</a> while diving for a loose ball. He was able to get up and walked to Charlotte’s locker room under his own power.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kon Knueppel just exited the Las Vegas Summer League semifinal bleeding from a head wound after diving for a loose ball with the Hornets up by 26 points. Baller <a href="https://t.co/f7PgPcGTIy">pic.twitter.com/f7PgPcGTIy</a></p><p>— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/status/1946719734663438738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>Knueppel is the face of a 2025 <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/mark-williams-trade-grade-for-hornets-suns-deal">Hornets draft class that includes Liam McNeely</a>, 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.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Kon Knueppel news

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