Hornets Select Duke Sharpshooter with the Fourth Pick in the Draft
The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke shooting guard Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick in tonight’s NBA draft. The six-foot-seven sharpshooter played one season at Duke and was a part of a team that went to the Final Four. Knueppel averaged 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists on 47 percent shooting. One of his biggest strengths is his three-point shooting. Knueppel shot 40 percent from three last season. He joins a Hornets team that is establishing its team culture in Charles Lee’s second season coaching the team.
Knueppel was the second Duke Blue Devil taken in the night as he followed Cooper Flagg, who was selected number one overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Knueppel is the third Blue Devil to be selected by the Hornets since 2020. The sharpshooter’s most memorable moment at Duke was when he was named the 2025 ACC Tournament MVP. He scored 28 points in the game and led the Blue Devils to their 23rd ACC title after Flagg went down with an ankle injury in the Quarterfinals of the tournament. Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has said that Knueppel is one of the smartest players he has ever coached and applauds him for his ability to make minimal mistakes. That ability to make zero to no mistakes will help him in the NBA.
The best pure scorer in this year’s draft class, Knueppel, uses angles and leverage to create shots against his defenders. He is also known for his catch-and-shoot ability and shot 48 percent from corner threes last season. The ACC Tournament MVP is an underrated playmaker and will look to create opportunities in the paint for Mark Williams and Miles Bridges, but also can take pressure off of LaMelo Ball due to his ability to shoot the ball exceptionally well. Knueppel’s knack for winning will help the Hornets in ways that some fans might not expect, such as in hustle plays. Last season, there were numerous examples of Knueppel diving on the floor for loose balls to give his team extra possessions. He may have gotten lost in the shuffle due to being Cooper Flagg’s teammate, but Knueppel is an elite scorer who is smart with the basketball, an underrated playmaker, and will earn teammates’ respect due to his drive and energy he brings on the court. Hornets fans may not be excited as the team missed out on elite wings such as Tre Johnson or another playmaking guard like Jeremiah Fears, but Knueppel is a player who will fit right into the system that is being established in the Queen City.
