Why the Charlotte Hornets selected Kon Knueppel

After an injury-riddled season, countless trade up, trade down, trade sideways, and do the hokey pokey rumors, the Charlotte Hornets stayed put and selected Kon Knueppel with the fourth overall pick.

The 19-year-old, 6'5" swingman from Duke will slide into Charlotte's starting lineup as the perfect connective piece between LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. Knueppel's super power, his shooting ability, unlocks everything for his well-rounded skillset.

In his freshman season at Duke, Knueppel knocked down 40.6% of his 207 three-point attempts, but they weren't just your basic catch-and-shoot looks. Knueppel is adept at running off screens, squaring his shoulders to the hoop, and firing three-point looks from all over the half court from a variety of angles. For a Charlotte team that ranked last in last in effective field goal percentage, 29th in points per possession, and 28th in three-point percentage, adding a knockdown shooter to the core was a must.

The primary selling point for Knueppel is his shooting, but his well-rounded floor game is what made him such an enticing prospect in this class. Kon is a skilled pick-and-roll operator, and his mind-meld with hulking center Khaman Maluach became one of Duke's primary offensive weapons as their dominant college season rolled on.

Knueppel is an elite passer who possesses eagle-eyed vision when throwing passes to his open teammates. He thrived as a secondary option at Duke, feasting on defenses that were tilted by Cooper Flagg's indelible shot creating talent. Knueppel won't have much primary playmaking duty in Charlotte, but his ability to dribble, pass, and shoot, will accentuate the strengths of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller perfectly.

The Hornets desperately needed players that can raise their putrid offensive floor, and Knueppel can do exactly that. On top of his three-point shooting and playmaking skills, Kon is a slick finisher around the basket. His ability to play through contact, finish off two feet, and vary his tempo to keep defenders guessing make up for his lack of high-end athleticism. When Flagg went down with an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament, Knueppel carried the Blue Devils to the conference title with his relentless blend of scoring and playmaking.

He will be targeted on defense early on, but his lack of physical tools are mitigated by his overall toughness. As a perimeter defender, Knueppel hits opposing ball handlers first, using his stout frame to make up for his slow feet and short wingspan. Lastly, Knueppel functions as a solid cog in an overall team defense, rarely finding himself out of position, and often commanding his teammates to find their mark.

Fans will roll their eyes at this, but the Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee regime in Charlotte value high character prospects. By all accounts, Knueppel will come to Charlotte, work his tail off, and set the tone for the franchise day in and day out. It was high time for the Hornets to add teammates around Ball and Miller that can maximize their strengths, and Knueppel brings that ideal skillset.

The Detroit Pistons surrounded their star point guard with elite shooters, and Cade Cunningham turned in the best season of his young career. Letting LaMelo Ball orchestrate an offense with Miller and Knueppel playing supporting roles will blare a basketball symphony through Charlotte that hasn't been heard in nearly a decade.

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