Former Duke standout Sion James discusses his experience as a rookie during the NBA's summer league. By Roderick Boone
Kon Knueppel’s initial interaction with Sion James at Duke was relatively cautious.
“Yeah, he’s a big dude,” Knueppel said Wednesday. “He’s very physically imposing. So, as a freshman, the first time meeting him you’re a little nervous.”
That changed rapidly, though.
“He’s just a great guy,” Knueppel said. “I got that from the first time talking to him. He’s a great guy to have around.”
Which is what makes the current situation all the more enjoyable for the duo. Picked by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2025 NBA Draft, along with Liam McNeeley and Ryan Kalkbrenner, Knueppel and James are joined at the hip once again, serving as half of the team’s newly minted young core.
They’re immersed in the first major step of that transition from college to the pros, going through drills and practices in preparation for Las Vegas Summer League action, which tips off for the Hornets against the Utah Jazz at the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday night.
“It’s just a level of familiarity in a world where everything is different,” James said. “So having him here is awesome for me. That’s my guy. Love being around him and I’m glad we get to be teammates.”
Not bad for two guys who didn’t really know each other 12 months ago. In fact, their friendship took off so fast it led to a trip down I-85 from the Triangle to a venue a few blocks away from Spectrum Center, the place they’ll soon call home.
“Actually, we went to a football game in Charlotte for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl last year, me and him,” Knueppel said. “I asked one teammate — he came with me. So it’s pretty funny that we’re here in Charlotte now.”
Kon Knueppel walks off the court after Charlotte Hornets wrap up summer league practice in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy @hornets
Wait, but what made him choose James? Was it their quickly formed kinship? Did he have the more trustworthy mode of transportation?
“Well, first of all, we didn’t have a lot of guys who liked football on our team, which is weird, but he loved football,” Knueppel said. “But he’s also just one of my best friends on the squad. So it’s good to have him here now.”
Undoubtedly, the Hornets feel the same way, which is why they took James with the third pick in the second round of the NBA Draft a few weeks ago. In selecting the 22-year-old at No. 33 overall, the Hornets added more depth to their backcourt.
Hovering at 6-foot-6, he averaged 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in his lone season with the Blue Devils after transferring from Tulane, draining 51.6% from the field and 41.3% beyond the 3-point arc, nabbing ACC All-Defensive team honors during Duke’s ACC Championship title run and and berth in the NCAA Tournament championship game.
James’ early reviews are already rather glowing.
Hornets assistant coach Chris Jent, who’s serving as the team’s summer league coach, said: “His defense … he’s really polished defensively, physical, defends without fouling, has a good feel for that end of the floor. But it’s been really impressive to watch him defend thus far.”
That’s not all, either.
“Maturity,” Jent said. “He’s got a mature sense. He’s a great communicator, he picks up all our terms very quickly and he conveys that to the rest of the team. So, I think him keeping connectivity, keeping us connected with his voice and his actions would be huge.
“He’s great to talk to, asks a lot of pointed questions, very inquisitive, but he’s not asking questions to ask. He’s asking relevant things, so I think he’s calculating things in his head. But he’s great with his teammates, he lifts them up all the time. But he’s a pretty special human being.”
Sion James shoots free throws during Charlotte Hornets summer league practice in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy @hornets
James may have to tap into those traits to hold his own on a roster that’s suddenly guard-heavy. Besides selecting Knueppel, the Hornets traded for Collin Sexton and Pat Connaughton, signed unrestricted free agent Spencer Dinwiddie and re-signed Tre Mann.
Holdovers KJ Simpson and Nick Smith Jr. are also on the lengthy roster.
But James isn’t shying away from trying to earn a spot in the rotation of coach Charles Lee and carving out his own role, understanding how that will benefit him on his journey as a pro.
“Competition, for one, is going to make all of us better,” James said. “It’s going to make me better, it’s going to make every single person in the organization better. So, really, the big thing for me and all of us is really embracing it and recognizing that we are doing it together, we are doing it for the same reason.
“We are all going to be better because of the competition we are facing. It’s not necessarily one person against another person. It’s all of us competing together to improve ourselves and then for the organization.”
In a sense, that was evident a week ago, when the Hornets’ rookie class inked their respective contracts. A host of the team’s veteran players — led by LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller — were there, too, standing behind the quartet and clapping in excitement.
Even Sexton, one of the newest acquisitions, was present.
“It meant a lot,” James said. “It’s really cool because they’ve all been in the same position we were. When we were walking up there Miles and I were talking. We were just reminiscing about his pre-draft process and how good a shape he was in and everything.
“So, it was a good reminder that every single player in the program has gone through the same thing to get to this point, to be an NBA player. And it’s cool seeing that they’ve gone from where we are to where they are in their careers, and it’s kind of motivation for us to continue to improve.”
Doing it alongside Knueppel only further fuels that impulse.
“He’s a great friend, but also a professional,” Knueppel said. “Comes in, does his work, plays super hard to the best of his ability. So, it’s just good to have him around every day. He’s a really good dude off the court as well, so I’m happy he’s here.”