One of the greatest players in NBA history praised Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.
During All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel received strong praise from one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Knueppel, who competed in the 3-point contest, got complimented by Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Knueppel could win the Rookie of the Year Award this season. He's averaging 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game for the Hornets while shooting 48.4% from the field, 43.1% from beyond the arc and 90.2% from the free-throw line.
The Hornets are 10-1 over their last 11 games and Knueppel is a big reason why Charlotte is the hottest team in the NBA.
“You should be having fun with your teammates. You should have fun competing,” Knueppel said. “That’s really the most important. It is hard. It is a job. It’s a lot of travel. It’s a lot of time away from home, and there’s a lot of money involved, so it’s really easy to lose that. I just think for me personally, it’s important to keep that [fun] because it’ll just help me perform better.”
The Hornets haven't made the playoffs since 2016. With Knueppel in the fold next to LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges, Charlotte could snap its playoff drought this year.
Knueppel has been stellar on the offensive end for the Hornets, but Charlotte head coach Charles Lee has been impressed with the Milwaukee native's defensive play as well.
“Defensively, you really see his basketball intelligence," Lee said, via The Athletic. “He understands player tendencies really well. He’s really able to understand how to close out: What are the angles I even need to take to closeout on somebody? If I’m shifting on somebody, at what level or depth do I need to be at? If a guy is a lesser shooter. He’s a little bit flatter in his shifts; if the guy’s a better shooter, he’s higher in his shift to not allow a direct pass to that guy."
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