The Charlotte Hornets continued their trend of drafting Duke players by selecting guard Sion James with the No. 33 overall pick, reuniting Kon Knueppel with one of his college teammates. Now, all that is left is for the Hornets to select Tyrese Proctor. Do you think Dallas would be okay with trading Cooper Flagg to Charlotte, too? Why not?
In all seriousness, James spent four seasons at Tulane before transferring to Duke before the 2024-25 season. He wanted to prove that he could play alongside top talent, showcasing his worth as a future role player to NBA teams. He did just that, averaging 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 0.8 steals per game for the Blue Devils in 39 contests (32 starts), shooting 51.6% from the field and 41.3% from three.
The biggest knock against James is his scoring. He averaged 5.6 field-goal attempts and 1.9 three-point attempts per game with Duke, so he'll need to get his volume of shots up at the next level to make the impact he wants with the Hornets. There aren't concerns about how his defense will translate to the NBA, as that's what he's built his reputation on. James' build has been compared to that of an NFL linebacker, as he is 6'4'5'' tall and 217 pounds with an 8'4'' standing reach. His strength makes him a great defender.
Hornets draft Sion James, Kon Kneuppel's Duke teammate, with No. 33 pick
Knueppel, who is from Wisconsin, is staying in North Carolina, as is James, who is from Sugar Hill, Georgia, which is much closer to Charlotte than Knueppel's hometown. Knueppel and James spent less than a full year at Duke, but that connection should be enough to make Charlotte feel more like home, as it's just over two hours away from Durham.
Knueppel is the Hornets' new young star, but James has the potential to make some noise in the NBA if his offensive game can get up to speed. It'd be special to have two Duke guys be part of Charlotte changing its identity from being a bottom-dweller. Hornets fans have waited far too long to see that, but the good news is that Charlotte had a solid 2025 draft, giving hope for the future.
It will be fun to watch Knueppel and James take the court for the first time as Hornets teammates at Summer League in July. The Brotherhood -- at least Knueppel and James -- will stay in North Carolina.