NBA Draft scouting report: How would Kon Knueppel fit with the Charlotte Hornets?

Taking a look at one of Duke's other impact freshman and his fit in Charlotte.

Matt Alquiza | Apr 23, 2025

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Charlotte Hornets

Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee have a type.

Since taking the reins of the Charlotte Hornets in 2024, Peterson and Lee have acquired multiple players of the same archetype: character-first, competitive-on-defense, long, rangy, hard-working, two-way players that bring an energy to the locker room and the court. One key trait I didn't mention? Elite shooting.

Interesting, right? Lee, a branch of Joe Mazzulla and Mike Budenholzer's coaching trees, has instilled a brand of offense that revolves around a high volume of three-point attempts. Both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, when healthy, were given the green light from anywhere within the half court to fire away at will.

Those two struggled to find the mark, shooting well below league average percentage-wise, as did their role playing teammates. On the season, Charlotte shot 33.9% from downtown, ranking 28th out of 30 NBA teams.

The identity of Charlotte's talent hasn't exactly matched the coach's philosophy, and the 2025 NBA Draft is Lee and Peterson's next chance to bring in a player that can primarily impact the offensive side of the ball now that the team's defensive principles are in place.

If they don't land the number one overall pick and earn the rights to select this year's franchise-savior du jour Cooper Flagg, one of his college teammates would be a solid fall back option for the Hornets: Kon Knueppel.

Analyzing Knueppel's fit in Charlotte

Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer talks to Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) during the second half

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Above all else, Knueppel is an elite shooter. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer's malleable offensive philosophies were hand-crafted to open up shots for his star freshman scorer and Knueppel knocked them down with ease.

Kon has impeccable footwork running off screens and can get into his shot from just about anywhere. His pristine shooting form translates to the mid-range game, making Knueppel a true three-level scoring threat when you combine that with his three-point accuracy (40.6% as a freshman at Duke) and physical driving skills.

The Blue Devils weaponized Knueppel's gravity even when he wasn't handling the ball. His shooting skills were used as a dummy in offensive sets that ended up creating driving lanes for Duke's talented guards and the aforementioned Flagg. Kon's knock-down jumper and his keen spatial awareness skills force opposing defenders to stay attached to his hip at all times when he slithers around without the ball.

Aside from his lights out shooting, Knueppel impacts the game as a creator that feeds off of tilted defenses. Often times when LaMelo Ball would create an advantage off of an isolation or a ball screen, he would have nobody trustworthy on the perimeter feast on that advantage. Knueppel proved at Duke that he's smart enough, athletic enough, and a good enough handler to do just that.

His sturdy frame makes up for his lack of an elite handle when driving the ball. Knueppel is barrel-chested and über physical when driving to the cup, seeking contact and finishing through it. Beyond those burly finishes, he's also adept at pump-faking and finishing off of two feet in the painted area, showing a savvy understanding of angles and leverage well beyond his years.

When his superstar teammate and Duke's offensive engine, Cooper Flagg, went down with an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament, Knueppel gave the world at large a chance to see him as the opposing team's primary offensive scout. Knueppel answered with averages of 17.5 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 11/23 shooting in Duke's two games without Flagg.

Knueppel will be tested on defense from day one, but his idealistic blend of competitiveness, his sturdy frame, and his feel for the game will make up for his lack of athleticism.

In summary, Knueppel is the ideal consolation prize for the Charlotte Hornets if they pick anywhere between three and seven, a likely scenario. My NBA comparison for Knueppel is Corey Kispert (I know, comparing two white guys to each other is low-hanging fruit), a sweet-shooting forward for the Washington Wizards who just signed a lucrative rookie-scale extension last summer.

The Detroit Pistons thrived when surrounding their star point guard with shooters that can put the ball on the deck and take advantage of a defense that's been put in the blender. Charlotte has one of those in Brandon Miller, and they'd do well to add another in Kon Knueppel. The fit isn't perfect, and the ceiling for Knueppel isn't as high as his draft mates Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe, but the floor is safe, and Kon can do a ton of things at a high-level on day one that Charlotte desparately needs.