Kon Knueppel despite the loss: 28/8/7 on 68.5 TS%
https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401810111/hornets-pacers
He is the best rookie this year and frankly it’s not even a debate at all
This has to be one of the best rookie seasons ever technically right? People just haven’t caught up to it yet
You almost never see rookies be this efficient on this volume
It’s on pace to be the best rookie 3 pt shooting season of all time, but he can also do a lot more
He just understands basketball + talented as hell, baller
Real lunch pail, first one in, last one out kinda guy
Beatingadeadhorse.gif
The irony
White player mentioned have to say the thing
18/6/3 on 62% TS.
He’s the best player on the hornets this season. Argue lamelo all you want. I don’t want a dude shooting 50% TS that’s immature and turns the ball over 4 times a game
Hornets may now be able to trade Lamelo knowing they can hand the franchise to someone else. Honestly because (and I know Hornets fans are tired of losing) next years draft is one of the best in awhile, they should think about getting ride of Miles too - he may be more valuable than Melo
Other way around, they need to get rid of Miles asap. Lamelo sets the table for Kon. Bridges is just a ball hog who jacks shit up.
Hornets should’ve traded lamelo years ago. They’re going to get into a Zion situation where they won’t get shit for him.
He’s not available, he’s immature, he has horrible efficiency, can’t defend, demands the ball, he’s the last person I would want to lead my team.
He’s an AAU player who carries a ball around with beats on while eating chic fil a.
I don’t disagree but Bridges is a woman-beating piece of shit they never should have re-signed, who also demands the ball and takes shots away from good players. Melo at least passes the ball.
Both should be gone
Melo market is small. He should stay for now
Melo fits perfectly on the Clippers at some point in the future
The only part of that which is actually true is the availability part. If we have to move on from him, it’s because we can’t count on him to play. Otherwise, despite his public persona, he’s an unselfish player who his teammates respond to and has extremely strong plus/minus differential despite the below average shooting efficiency.
Been saying this for years and hornets fans continue to downvote me. With Kon we are finally seeing what a legitimate star NBA player looks like and I think fans are coming to the realization that despite Ball’s glamorous stats and plays, he makes just as many careless and shitty decisions. The basketball game devolves when Lamelo is in. The outcome is either something incredible or playground dog shit when he has it in his hands and you are not going to create a winning culture with that type of play, it’s too inconsistent.
Lamelo has been one of the best offensive engines in the league when healthy the last 4 years.
i was in a hornets subreddit game thread earlier this year and someone said melo was having a better year than curry. even if you could find the stats to support how could you trick yourself into that kinda thinking.
I know it’s only one game but Bridges looked much more ahead than Ball. And I hate absolutely hate bridges.
Did you watch last game where he scored 22 on 22 and froze Kon out down the stretch, including a ridiculous fadeaway one legger attempt at the game tying shot?
Keep lamelo, get rid of Miles. Kon plays better with lamelo on the court
Yet again
Hornets with Lamelo 122 ORTG (Equivalent of 3rd in the League)
Hornets W/O Lamelo 111 ORTG (Equivalent of 25th in the League)
Kon has a 73 TS% with Lamelo and a 56 TS% without Lamelo
Say what you want about Lamelo, but he is an offensive machine.
Man can shooty the hoops
This has to be one of the best rookie seasons ever technically right?
Well no, that’s insane. The best rookie seasons ever are all-nba seasons, and several other close to that. All stars. Kon’s been amazing, but 18/6/3 on 61% true shooting on a 4-10 team is nowhere near best rookie seasons ever. That’s insane. He’s amazing, but saying he’s having one of the best rookie seasons ever is needlessly hyperbolic.
It’s going to be the best rookie 3 point shooting season ever though, if he keeps up
It’s better than some recent ROY winners like Banchero and Castle.
Id argue it’s one of the best this century, at least so far, given what we have seen
Blake griffin was an all star
Ben Simmons averaged 16/8/8 and won 50 games
Wembanyama had 21⁄10 with almost 4 blocks a game
Luka 21/8/7
Lebron James
Carmelo
Derrick Rose
Those are all great seasons and may be better but Kon’s efficiency blows most of them out of the water
I think you are way overstating what 18 ppg on 61% true shooting is in the modern NBA in terms of efficiency. That is slightly better than the average for SG’s in the modern NBA, which is 58%. You have to consider context. “Blows out of the water” is just not true, plenty of them were in line with league average true shooting or slightly above.
Also, is mildly better efficiency better than having way more assists or way better defense or rebounding? Like, you can’t lock onto the 61% true shooting and ignore the fact that all those other dudes were notably better playmakers and defenders on better teams, and it was a different era of efficiency.
Like that guy didn’t even mention KAT – 18/11/3 on 59% true shooting.
There is no way to spin Kon’s rookie year as one of the best ever or this century so far without massive homerism. “He was more efficient” doesn’t make up for all the other areas, because even his efficiency is not absolutely insane or anything, it’s just very very good for a rookie in his role
I mean, what is your cutoff for “one of the best?” This century is only 25 years in, I wouldn’t put this even in the conversation for top 5 rookie seasons. And that’s 20% of the years right there. If you are “one of the best,” I think top 20% is a more than fair cutoff.
So no, I disagree entirely. Y’all are way overreacting off a couple really good games, if the season ended today, 18/6/3 on 61% TS on a ten seed isn’t a top 5 rookie season out of the last 25 years, maybe not even top 10 rookie season of the last 25 years. Like, unless we just disagree on where the cutoff is for “one of the best,” I think you are overstating how good he’s been or underrating some great rookie years
Honestly you’re probably right I’m just deprived of talent as a hornets fan lmao
It might not be the best rookie season of all time, but I would say that it is the best rookie shooting performance of all time.
All time, 50 game minimum, 15ppg+, Kon is #1. Followed by Magic and MJ.
Here are some seasons just in the last 25 years that, despite a lower TS, could be considered better.
21.4 PTS / 10.6 REB / 3.9 AST / 59 TS%
22.5 PTS / 12.1 REB / 3.8 AST / 55 TS%
21.2 PTS / 7.8 REB / 6.0 AST / 54 TS%
Now, if we’re talking all time…
Wilt Chamberlain (1959–60)
37.6 PTS / 27.0 REB / 2.3 AST
Oscar Robertson (1960–61)
30.5 PTS / 10.1 REB / 9.7 AST
And Magic won finals MVP on:
18.0 PTS / 7.7 REB / 7.3 AST
I have to give a shoutout to my guy Calderon:
José Calderón — Rookie Season (2005–06)
5.5 PTS per game
3.2 AST
0.9 REB
63.7 TS%
No not even close. Maybe in the last 20 years. Shaq, Kareem, MJ, and Bird were MVP level players as rookies.
If it’s one of the best in the last 20 years it’s one of the best ever lol
18/6/3 on a 4-10 team with 61% true shooting (league average for his position is 58%) is NOT one of the best rookie seasons ever. He is also playing a shit ton of minutes. 41 tonight.
Absurd people are upvoting this, Kon is amazing and going to get even better, he is the best rookie this year, but there’s no need to by wildly hyperbolic.
here’s some good ones for reference https://www.nba.com/news/best-rookie-seasons-nba-history
If its solidly top 30 rookie seasons all time, even if he’s not an all star this year, I’d still take it
I mean there’s a fairly large gap between rookie Shaq and rookie Kon even if they are both good but okay sure.
Where did I say otherwise
Look at Blake Griffin’s rookie numbers
lol wtf no. Luka, Blake, Paolo, Wemby, KAT and some others I am forgetting. And that’s just last 15 years.
Flagg’s getting better. VJ started hot and cooled but is still good, getting big mins. Kon. Coward. Kalk. Fears. Others. It’s still early even. Others good pop off
Tyreek Evans was great
What about Jordan, Barkley, Hakeem in 85?
I’m genuinely praying he’s able to stay healthy because he is already looking like an instant all-star
Our coach is running him into the ground unfortunately. 41 minutes tonight, 33 a night which is psychotic for a cutter and movement shooter with his playstyle
41 is a alot but he’s only at 33mpg, that doesn’t seem that crazy.
It’s quickly trending upwards. He’s only got one game under 34 minutes (27:21) in the last seven games and has three games over 40 minutes in that span.
I think Lee is holding on to hope that Charlotte can compete for a playoff spot in the East this year, but with early injuries to LaMelo and Miller, and several mismanaged “sure wins” turning into losses already, that boat is setting sail.
Squandering good fortune in the Kon pick would be serious malpractice, especially for a team that struggles so much with injuries to key players.
Yeah, college season is half the length with some games being vs far inferior comp. Playing the best in the world every other night for twice as many games is an insane jump for any college player.
What he’s doing is already impressive, keeping it up for a whole season is a really hard thing to do
How is Kon’s defense?
It’s not good but not bad either. He’s pretty strong with great feel for plays developing and that allows him to rebound at a high level and at least rotate into position. He just struggles with length/athleticism so you cant put him at POA
Yeah, I was impressed with it last night. The awareness and effort are both there. He’ll catch up to the physicality eventually.
Yesterday was a great example of his strengths and weaknesses. He stays between his guy and the basket very well and forces them to shoot over him. Unfortunately if you’ve got a guy with great length like Ingram, it’s difficult for Kon to really contest the shot.
From when we played you guys, he seemed like a AR-type player with a higher ceiling for potential. Is that a fair assessment?
yeah that’s about it. Kon’s just doing AR type rookie play while being like 3 years younger than AR’s rookie year though
he’s looking like a better Bojan Bogdanović
Far better than a lot of people expected. Good positioning and strength
knipples got clamps
Ball knowers said he was the best player on Duke last year. That team defaulted to Flagg a lot and it hid a lot of Knueppel’s brilliance.
I watched those Duke games and when Kneuppel was drafted I commented in the live thread here that I believed he was the best player in the draft. I think my comment got downvoted lol. I feel a bit vindicated after reading through all the positive comments in this post.
This class is super deep, flagg, VJ, queen emergence, kon, coward. There’s a bunch of rooks getting solid rotation minutes out tor gate
Long way to go.
My guy Dylan Harper doesn’t play for a couple of games and all of a sudden he is completely forgotten. Let’s wait until the end of the season to make statements like “it’s not even a debate at all”
Lowkey an All-Star lol
I remember all the draft projections: Kyle Korver/shooter. That’s still a compliment in its own, but the uhh…yeah…
Skill set is far more versatile.
It’s interesting to me how we often can’t really tell whose games won’t see any (or at least as much) drop-off going to the NBA level.
It’s always assumed that young guys with the highest relative athleticism will rise to the top, but occasionally you get a “safe” draft pick whose game translates to the NBA level with no issue.
his body has a lot of girth and im not making any innuendos here, that showed he had the mass to take some hits and give out some hits. mans body for sure
Yea definitely seems like he can give and take a pounding.
Can really stretch the floor to facilitate ball penetration
Well what most people didn’t understand until now is that first and foremost not athleticism translates to the NBA, but basketball IQ.
https://www.nbadraft.net/players/klay-thompson/
https://www.nbadraft.net/players/kon-knueppel/
It’s interesting how Kon has very similar pre-draft scores to Klay. Like Klay, Knueppel is also showing that scouts underestimated what he can do in the NBA.
It is kind of wild that he got labeled as that, I hate watched enough Duke to know that the kid showed insane talent besides shooting especially as a second option to Flagg
I watched draft videos, and he looked better than that on film. He had a lot of good drive and passing film for an “unathletic 3 point shooter”. Was why I was high on him. It would be weird seeing the film and then the analyst would be yeah but he probably won’t do it in the NBA.
Not even lowkey at this point. Hes a really freaking good player
18/6/3 on 61% true shooting on a 4-10 team.
“Not even lowkey,” y’all are being insane. Kon is awesome, he is not a shoe-in all star right now. He’s had a couple great games in a row on insane minutes. He played 41 minutes tonight. Chill
Not an All-Star by any means, but I don’t know why the 41 minutes would be a knock when his per 36 numbers and efficiency are still good.
He’s making a strong case for RoTY if he keeps it up, and showing potential to be a star in The future. His efficiency with that level of production is really rare for a rookie on a bad team. That’s already ample praise, so I don’t get the All-Star excitement lol
Damn the hornets get a draft steal roty! That’s wild!
Would you really consider him a steal already? He went 4th, and I don’t think that’d change in a redraft today
I figure that his production could be even better on a good team because he’s performing this well on the very dysfunctional hornets.
most people got him 4-6 before the draft, so its lowkey a steal
Sheesh this kid is insane
High IQ and great fundamentals. Just a reliable player ever since
ever since… every since… ever since WHAT?!?!?
Big areola
Shout out Josh Lloyd
Plays for West Ham
Everyone was saying Kon was the generational white boy from Duke right?
Duke be pooping out generational white boys by the dozen
He’s not a boy though
Get Knipples some help
Free the Knueppel
My eyes will only be watching when he’s on the floor
Sounds like you’ll be watching a lot of basketball then if he’s playing 41 minutes a game lmao
41 tonight lol, not per game. 33 is still a ton but is on the range for a typical starter
We may have drafted the next goat
Best player to ever play on a team at any level in the state of North Carolina ever
I haven’t seen a rookie this polished since Doncic
Who had played 3 years of professional basketball at that point
To be fair, college has become MUCH more professionalized now that online classes exist. Kids truly aren’t going to play school.
How many times does he have to perform this well before it is no longer an overreaction to say he will be a superstar?
It’s way too early to tell. He can definitely become a superstar but 15 games is way too small of a sample size, give it a half a season at least.
He’s gonna have it easier when miller is back, Probably won’t put up those games a lot but miller is the opposite of miles and Tre because miller will make the pass and rather his team play better, Also having 2 movement shooters on the floor together will give lamelo the most open space hes ever seen lol
I disagree. Sometimes you it and just know. Kon has it. He will be a star.
Counter point, Brandon Jennings first 10 games
Best rookie of the class hands down.
VJ has cooled off, Kon has continued to show himself as the best baller of the class.
Saw this guy live last game vs Raps and he’s very impressive. Plays like a vet. Heard he plays good D and passes the eye test imo.
If you went in watching him with zero context you wouldn’t even consider that he’s a rookie. Really smooth game and he plays with a lot of poise for only being 20.
Praying that Hornets get a top 3 pick and their young nucleus get healthy from next season onwards
Balk, Boozer, Miller, Kon, Melo would be so nice moving forward
If we somehow fall lower we have Dallas and Miami 2027or 2028 pick to give up to move up, Jeff is gonna cook in the 2026 class
Has Kon and Miller played together? I’m curious how it looked
Kon is a stud, man. Definitely a ROTY favorite at the moment
1.25 games.
Very little. First game of the season and about 5 minutes in the 2nd game. Brandon is coming back from 2 injuries now so who knows when we’ll see the full BranKon experience.
Man ya’ll just can’t catch a break with injuries. That’s a two-man I definitely want to see
Not long like a game and a half lol
The goal if I was Charlotte is trading LaMelo/Bridges and building the new foundation around Kon/Miller.
They did play together, for one game (and a quarter vs the sixers).
His shot making and playmaking is soooo much better than I expected. His game suits better for the NBA than college. WTF is LaMelo doing?? He was 1-10 shooting in the first 10mins and ended up 5-21 shooting. WTF
He needs to get a consistent floater and put on weight
Smartest lamelo game
He’s a guy.
He’s a Kon Artist.
It’s nice to finally draft a guy that’s outperforming his draft position. This never happens with the hornets
Only thing keeping me sane watching the hornets, he’ll be the undisputed ROTY unless Cooper picks it up.
Vj still exists and he’s playing in a winning team. Might be a horse race
Mccain is back though so that might mean slowly less playing time for VJ
Mark Price got reincarnated and knows how to stuff the stat sheet now?
Cmon man there’s at least 10 other white dudes with a closer game to Kon than Mark Price you could have picked lol
He might end up averaging 20 by the end of the season. He’s proven game after game he’s more than a catch and shoot guy.
King Kon is the future in Charlotte 😎
Uh you sure you wanna call him King Kong Knueppel
Hornets better not ruin him please
Devin Booker like
Kon Knueppel has best stats than Ball
Better than Pooper
Again the wrong white boy was hyped
He was a beast tonight, get Ball off the court and let Kon shoot every time
Bros about to be the franchise player.
The dude is so efficient on a diverse shot diet. Of course his 3 ball is fantastic but he is lethal in that mid-range even where there’s pressure
Rookie putting up Shai numbers?
Hornets can safely move on from lamelo and bridges. This kid is the real deal
ROTY i’ve seen enough
Need this kid to be healthy to complete one of the most impressive rookie seasons in recent years.
hornets’ austin reaves
Man can ball. Not many reasons to watch us but give him a look this year. He plays like a vet and has some special sauce in his game.
Our only hope
This dude deserves a lot of respect, he is playing on a terrible team in a terrible franchise and literally putting them on his back as a rookie.
This guy reminds me of Luka with the way he instinctively knows how to ball. He definitely doesn’t have Luka’s ceiling, but he’s gonna be a very solid player for a long time in this league…prob the perfect sidekick to a #1 option, like Klay was to Steph
kids a star
New Devin Booker
This rookie class is coming out the gates hot!!!
I can’t remember the last time a rookie class was doing so well in the first month of the season
Picked this guy up after our fantasy draft. What a pick.
Best player on the team, no joke lol
ball needs to gtfo charlotte, this is kon’s team
Austin Reavesesque.
I am so annoyed with how they are pronouncing his name. Same as Knect. It is a silent K. Its pronounced “Noo-Pell” and is a german name.
Jeez.
His family pronounces it kah-nipple. It’s cooler that way anyway.
Germans don’t do silent Ks, thats a french and english thing
Amazing. Are you saying Kon himself doesn’t know how to pronounce his own name?
Sorry, but you don’t get to tell other people how to pronounce their own names.
It is literally kuh-nipple lol