Kon Knueppel has gotten off to a promising beginning with the Charlotte Hornets. As the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, he led the Hornets to their first-ever Summer League championship by stifling a Sacramento Kings comeback in an 83-78 victory on Sunday. Knueppel topped the team with 21 points and hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minute that pushed the Hornets ahead by four points.
This key basket became even more significant when Kings’ Isaac Jones responded with a three-pointer just 10 seconds later. With the ball back in Charlotte’s hands, the Kings resorted to fouling, preventing them from completing an impressive 18-point rally. For his standout performance, Knueppel was named the Summer League Championship Game MVP.
Isaac Jones, who led the Stockton Kings to a G-League title last year, led Sacramento with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Other Hornets rookies—Ryan Calk Brenner (15), Jaylen Sims (11), KJ Simpson (11), and DJ Rodman (11)—also contributed double-digit points. Charlotte set a fast pace and built a double-digit lead in the first quarter, but the Kings fought back to stay within reach by halftime. The Hornets extended their lead early in the fourth quarter, though cold shooting stretches allowed the Kings to make the finish tense.
The Hornets entered the championship game undefeated at 4-0 in group play, boasting the third-best point differential among unbeaten teams, and had defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in Saturday’s semifinals. Sims led the Hornets in that semifinal, while Knueppel played through a head injury, wearing a bandage during the final. This success came despite injuries sidelining two other Hornets rookies—29th pick Liam McNeely and 33rd pick Sion James, who missed four games with Achilles tendonitis and a hip injury.
Knueppel is expected to secure a starting position at Hornets training camp, and Calk Brenner will likely play a key role following the departure of starting center Mark Williams. While the regular season will present its challenges, it’s encouraging for Hornets fans to see the young core showing such promise early on.
Fan Take: This breakthrough for Knueppel and the Hornets’ young squad signals a bright future not only for Charlotte but for the excitement and competitiveness of the NBA. Watching emerging talent thrive in the Summer League offers a glimpse of fresh energy and new rivalries that could reshape the landscape of professional basketball in the coming years.
