Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots during the second half against the Orlando Magic during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots during the second half against the Orlando Magic during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
As a longtime basketball fan, Charlotte Hornets star Kon Knueppel has witnessed countless athletes, each to varying degrees of greatness. And while every list is subjective, he feels he has a pretty solid answer to the age-old all-time starting five debate.
When asked directly to build his team using any superstar from NBA history, Knueppel did not hesitate to provide a list of names, going through each position one by one. The biggest surprise was at center, where Kon left out Shaquille O’Neal in favor of Victor Wembanyama. He also picked Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry.
“Starting at the five, all-time perfect team? Wemby, Tim Duncan, so we got two Spurs. Let’s try to get as funky as we can. We got a 7’6″ who can move and shoot,” Knueppel said in a chat with Topps. “Tim Duncan, a defensive anchor, so you can flip him around — they can both guard the four and five if Duncan’s younger. At the three, we’ll go LeBron, at two, we’ll go Jordan, and at point guard, we’ll go Curry. I feel like that’s a nasty team. Got the Wemby aspect of him being 7’6″ and protecting the rim, and then Curry’s shooting… I feel like that’s a pretty ridiculous lineup.”
Knueppel, 21, just finished his rookie season for the Hornets, where he averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game on 47.5% shooting from the field. He still has many more battles to come, but he is already convinced Victor Wembanyama is an all-time great, and his inclusion is a sign that a new generation has arrived.
While the Hornets and Spurs only met two times in the 2025-26 campaign (splitting the season series 1-1), Victor’s greatness is undeniable as a 7’6″ big man who can do it all on the floor. While he has struggled with injuries in the past, Wembanyama is dominant when healthy, as he proved last season with averages of 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game on 51.2% shooting from the field. Last season, he became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in league history after leading the Spurs to 62 wins.
To fill the power forward spot, Knueppel picked Wembanyama’s predecessor, Tim Duncan. The ‘Big Fundamental’ is widely known for his humble, selfless approach to the game, making an impact in all the little ways as he dominated the boards and provided consistent inside scoring. The five-time champion and two-time MVP averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.7 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game on 50.6% shooting.
At small forward, what better pick is there than the man widely recognized as the greatest player ever at the position: LeBron James. His unprecedented longevity has changed the NBA hierarchy and set a new standard for maintaining greatness. After 23 years, hes broke countless records as a four-time MVP, four-time champion, and 22x All-Star. To this day, he plays at an elite level on the court, coming off the 2025-26 campaign with averages of 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 51.5 % shooting from the field.
At shooting guard, Knueppel could have gone with fan-favorite pick, Kobe Bryant, but he paid homage to Bulls legend Michael Jordan instead. Michael defined the game like no other athlete before or since, and his brand continues to endure as one of the biggest representations of the sport. Besides being a six-time champion, five-time MVP, and 10x scoring leader, Jordan boasts career averages of 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game on 49.7% shooting from the field. The only thing more powerful than his game was his will to win.
The point guard position was the other controversial pick on this list, for obvious reasons. Where a player from 15 years ago would have said Magic Johnson, Kon went with Steph, who is undoubtedly the greatest shooter ever and holds many impossible records. Over 17 years, the four-time champion and two-time MVP averages 24.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 47.1% shooting. His floor spacing combined with Victor’s interior dominance would be tough to beat, and it’s easy to see why Knueppel would include him in his perfect all-time lineup.
Ultimately, lists like these are always going to be subjective, but you can’t hold it against Kon Knuppel for being a man of his time. As much as he respects the great OGs of the game like Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal, he also recognizes the rise of new superstars, and he believes they can stand toe-to-toe against some of the best players ever.