Kon Knueppel‘s Charlotte Hornets career is off to a promising start.
The no. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft led the Hornets to their first Summer League title, defeating the sacramento Kings 83-78 in the championship game on Sunday.
Knueppel scored a team-high 21 points and sank the decisive 3-pointer in the final minute, securing the victory.
The clutch shot extended the Hornets’ led to four, a margin that proved crucial after the Kings’ Isaac Jones responded with a 3-pointer 10 seconds later.
Sacramento was forced to foul in the closing moments, preventing them from completing what would have been an 18-point comeback.
Knueppel’s performance earned him the Summer League championship game MVP award.
Isaac Jones led the kings with 24 points and 11 rebounds. ryan Kalkbrenner contributed 15 points for the Hornets,while Jaylen Sims,KJ Simpson,and DJ Rodman each added 11 points.
The Hornets established an early double-digit lead but saw the Kings narrow the gap with an 11-2 run to close the second quarter.
Charlotte extended their lead again in the fourth quarter, but a scoring drought allowed the Kings to make the game’s conclusion tense.
The Hornets advanced to the championship game with a 4-0 record in group play and a semifinal victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sims was a key contributor in the semifinal, while Knueppel played through a head injury that required him to wear a bandage on his forehead during the championship game.
The team’s success was achieved despite injuries to rookies Liam McNeeley and Sion James, who missed games with Achilles tendinitis and a hip injury, respectively.
Knueppel is expected to secure a starting position in the upcoming Hornets training camp.
Ryan Kalkbrenner is also a candidate for critically important playing time following the Hornets’ trade of starting center Mark Williams.
While regular season success may be more challenging, these early performances by the Hornets’ young players are a positive sign for the team.
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