Rookie report card: Hornets' youngsters pass the first test with flying colors

I was really impressed with how controlled and smooth Knueppel looked. Confidence is something he's always had, so you knew at the very least, he'd bring that to the table, but he didn't look like a rookie making his NBA debut. Instead, he looked like someone who's been around for a handful of years. Shot an efficient ball, going 4/6 from the field and 3/4 from downtown, but also didn't mind sticking his nose in the paint to grab a handful of rebounds. Defensively, he wasn't really challenged, but he played within the scheme and didn't have any catastrophically bad moments.

Ryan Kalkbrenner: B-

A really impressive performance for the big man out of Creighton. Nic Claxton can be a handful, and for the most part, he held his own on the interior. Kalkbrenner rejected three shots on the night but also impacted a few other possessions simply due to his presence. You could tell Brooklyn was a little hesitant to attack the rim, although there may have been a path. Also, I was very intrigued by what he did offensively. There was a mini stretch there where the ball kept finding him, scoring three baskets, part of which was due to his effort on the glass, pulling down five offensive boards.

Sion James: B

Offensively, he didn't light the world on fire, but that's not going to be his role. He's the gritty junkyard dog that's going to make life hell on whoever he's guarding and be the max effort guy on the offensive end, trying to set up his teammates to make something happen. I was surprised he was the second player off the bench, but even more surprised by how he played. Going with a B because I thought there were a couple of things he passed up offensively, but that's just me being a little nitpicky. The block he had in the first quarter was one of the highlights of the night.