Rookie report card: Hornets' youngsters pass the first test with flying colors

It's one game, but one game was enough to get Charlotte Hornets fans excited about basketball again after watching their team dismantle the Brooklyn Nets and receive strong contributions from all three of the rookies that touched the Spectrum Center floor on Wednesday night.

Just how well did they play? I handed out a grade for each of them, so let's take a look.

Kon Knueppel: A

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) stands on the court in the second half of a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

I was really impressed with how controlled and smooth Knueppel looked. Confidence is something he's always had, so you knew at the very least, he'd bring that to the table, but he didn't look like a rookie making his NBA debut. Instead, he looked like someone who's been around for a handful of years. Shot an efficient ball, going 4/6 from the field and 3/4 from downtown, but also didn't mind sticking his nose in the paint to grab a handful of rebounds. Defensively, he wasn't really challenged, but he played within the scheme and didn't have any catastrophically bad moments.

Ryan Kalkbrenner: B-

Oct 22, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11) and Brooklyn Nets forward Liam McNeeley (33) fight for a rebound during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images | Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

A really impressive performance for the big man out of Creighton. Nic Claxton can be a handful, and for the most part, he held his own on the interior. Kalkbrenner rejected three shots on the night but also impacted a few other possessions simply due to his presence. You could tell Brooklyn was a little hesitant to attack the rim, although there may have been a path. Also, I was very intrigued by what he did offensively. There was a mini stretch there where the ball kept finding him, scoring three baskets, part of which was due to his effort on the glass, pulling down five offensive boards.

Sion James: B

Sep 29, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (4) poses for a photo during media day at Queens University. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

Offensively, he didn't light the world on fire, but that's not going to be his role. He's the gritty junkyard dog that's going to make life hell on whoever he's guarding and be the max effort guy on the offensive end, trying to set up his teammates to make something happen. I was surprised he was the second player off the bench, but even more surprised by how he played. Going with a B because I thought there were a couple of things he passed up offensively, but that's just me being a little nitpicky. The block he had in the first quarter was one of the highlights of the night.

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