Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee detailed Moussa Diabaté’s rapid growth into a versatile defensive anchor capable of guarding multiple positions. Lee also emphasized the team's depth and his "gut-feeling" approach to player rotations as the Hornets prepare for their final game of 2025. By DIAMOND VENCES| ROD BOONE
In scanning the schedule days before the ball dropped, signaling the start of a new calendar year, something stood out to Kon Knueppel.
“I saw we have like 17 games in January,” the Charlotte Hornets rookie said, “with 11 on the road.”
That’s life in the NBA, as Knueppel is learning on the fly.
Suffice to say he’s adapting rather nicely, too.
Knueppel is setting new marks seemingly daily and keeping his name firmly in the discussion for rookie of the year honors, creating a virtual tug-of-war with former Duke teammate and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks.
In fact, the two-time Eastern Conference rookie of the month is already being mentioned in the same breath as Charlotte’s prodigal son and Golden State star Steph Curry. Not only has Knueppel broke Curry’s rookie record for most games with 20 or more points while making 50% of his overall attempts, 40% behind the 3-point arc and 90% from the free-throw line, he surpassed him in another category.
Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets in action during the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York. Kenneth Richmond Getty Images
This season, he’s only one of two players who has made at least 80 or more 3-pointers while hitting at least 40% of them. The other? That would be Curry.
“Yeah, it’s cool,” Knueppel said. “He’s obviously a great shooter and is shooting pretty well right now. So, it’s obviously cool to be mentioned in the same breath I guess.”
Complacency doesn’t appear to be part of Knueppel’s makeup, either.
He is intent on doing as much as he can to continuously become better at his craft, which is why he ensured he picked up a subscription to a notable and reputable platform that boasts video and other goodies.
“I have a Synergy account now,” Knueppel said. “But our coaches do a great job with telling us, driving direction, any counters they have. And so the combination of those two and watching film on guys gets me ready to go and it’s good.”
The Charlotte Observer caught up with Knueppel to discuss how more recent practice time has helped with mental focus, get a self-assessment of what needs to improve individually defensively, diversifying his game and more.
Roderick Boone: There is not much practice time once the season begins. How much do you relish opportunities to have an actual practice?
Kon Knueppel: It’s nice to be at practice. It’s hard when you are playing every other day. You don’t get time to correct things you’re doing wrong. So, I thought (those) two weeks having three days of practice, it was just good for the mind, but also to get up, play against each other, go up and down a little bit, run and compete. I thought it was great to have them two weeks in a row.
RB: What is something the team has learned most as you try to establish some consistency?
KK: I think definitely working on our individual defense, our M.I.G. — most important guy — on the ball and our shifts. So just working on that stuff first and foremost. But also playing with the pass, pass ahead, pass across, playing faster, increasing our pace.
Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets brings the ball up court while guarded by Cameron Johnson of the Denver Nuggets in the second half during their game at Spectrum Center. Jacob Kupferman Getty Images
RB: In college at Duke, you played 39 games. How are you feeling now and what are you doing to ensure your body is going to be able to last 82 games?
KK: I feel good. There’s a lot of nicks and bruises and things, but I luckily haven’t had anything major. Had the little chip fracture in the pinky early in the season, stuff like that. But yeah, the body’s holding up. Been really proactive with the recovery stuff and the training staff are doing a great job.
RB: What have you learned most about that?
KK: I think too you just got to be willing to play. For me, it’s like I want to play every game. So, going in with that mindset, how can I have my body ready to play and perform every day? So, I think it’s more so less reactive. Like not ‘Oh no, my ankle hurts, I’ve got to get some treatment today.’ It’s more like, ‘All right my shoulder tends to bug me, let’s get working on the shoulder throughout the week.’ Even if it’s feeling great, just working on it, make sure it’s doing all right and get going.”
RB: Can you explain what you still want to improve upon defensively and what have you learned most at this level that you have to do every night to be on that side of the court?
KK: I think an area to grow is definitely being more disruptive defensively. I tend to be where I’m supposed to be, tend to keep my guy in front of me. But can I maybe get a few more deflections? And I think that comes with a little bit more anticipation, being more aware of that. What play is going to happen before it happens and then those will come.
RB: What are you doing to make sure that you’re not focusing on just the 3-point line and are able to get to the basket and do things on offense?
KK: I’ve seen the last couple of games here, I’m definitely playing more inside-out. I think for anybody that’s a shooter, it’s hard to come in, and it takes a lot of practice, to come in and just be able to shoot and make threes. It’s hard to get a rhythm that way.”