Kon Knueppel's unselfish mindset embodies the Charlotte Hornets shift in play style

If you catch the Charlotte Hornets on the right night, you might get treated to some of the most beautiful and efficient basketball your eyes have ever seen.

At their best, the Hornets whizz the ball around the perimeter like they're trying to rack up bonus points on a pinball machine. Everybody touches the ball, nobody cares who takes the shot as egos are laid to the wayside to prioritize getting the best look at the basket.

The 'pot luck' mentality that Charlotte plays with is intoxicating, and one of its most ardent supporters is a rookie swingman who has taken the NBA by storm.

After dropping five threes and 19 points in a win against the Washington Wizards, Kon Knueppel was asked about Charlotte's egalitarian offensive approach, and he delivered a soliloquy about the game of basketball and the Hornets' mindset that will resonate with anyone who loves the beautiful game.

'That's how the game was designed to be played. You know obviously, great players are going to dominate the ball sometimes, but the game is designed to be played together as a team against another team. I think when the ball is moving it is the most fun for everybody. I definitely feel that way.'

'It feels really good when LaMelo (Ball) pump fakes and passes, and Brandon (Miller) does the same thing and passes and we turn down two good shots for a great shot in the corner. And for me it goes the same way -- I drive baseline, or I drive in the middle of the floor and kick it back to a guy that's wide open? That feels good and makes everybody feel good whether it goes in or not.'

'That's the beauty of basketball.'

Kon Knueppel is wise beyond his years

Popular NBA pundit Bill Simmons once said that Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas told him that the secret of basketball is that it's not about basketball. Winning teams are defined by their culture; an unselfish one-for all, all-for-one mentality that flows seamlessly from the locker room chats to the on-court product.

I can't speak for who Kon Knueppel is in the Hornets' locker room, but the way he plays embodies Thomas' 'secret.'

His unselfish demeanor on the court has spearheaded Charlotte's early season success, and the willingness that him, Brandon Miller, and LaMelo Ball, the Hornets' big three, posses as passers has been key in their victories.

Against Washington, the Hornets racked up 35 assists on 42 made baskets and only turned the ball over four times (not including Sion James' final minute turnover as the clock dwindled).

When it's right, Charlotte's play style reverberates with Isaiah Thomas' once hush hush secret, and Knueppel is one of the drivers of the culture shift that has become so evident this season.

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