As time has passed, Kon Knueppel has continued to establish himself as a leader with the Charlotte Hornets. His even-keeled reaction to Tidjane Salaun's career night only proved that more.
Friday saw the Hornets defeat the Toronto Raptors for the second time in six days. Interestingly, they would be just two games behind the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons had they not been upset by Charlotte twice.
Salaun was key in the second victory, finally breaching the 20-point mark by scoring 21 on 6-8 shooting from the field and 5-6 from the 3-point area.
However, as Knueppel mentioned, the French forward's point total was hardly his most noteworthy contribution to the Hornets' incredible win. "As a team, we don't really think about [that]," the rookie said of Salaun's 21-point outing. "Obviously, he made some shots, and he had a career high, which is special for him. But we think about the other things he did, how hard he played, crashing the boards, playing great defense. Those are the things that stand out to his teammates."
Hornets may have found their leader
Considering how Salaun has already been labeled a bust by some folks, despite still being in only his second year in the league, it would have been understandable for the Hornets players to be hyped about his performance on Friday.
Not Knueppel, though, as he had the bigger picture in mind.
To be frank, it's a breath of fresh air to hear a Hornets player speak with maturity and balance. Knueppel looked impressed by Salaun's scoring production, but he also couldn't help but bring up his younger (by 10 days) teammate's contributions that did not appear on the box score.
So, it seems Charlotte managed to land not just a future star in the 2025 draft but also one who has proven to be the leader it needs. Of course, it's still too early to bestow that responsibility on Knueppel.
However, it's worth noting that he already has an edge over the players who are expected to take the helm in the locker room.
He does not carry the baggage that Miles Bridges has on and off the court.
He does not have the negative reputation LaMelo Ball has developed, and the Hornets players could grow weary of the narrative if it does not shift anytime soon.
Brandon Miller could also emerge as the leader, but the swingman has to deal first with suddenly being labeled as an injury-prone player.
Given all that, it appears Knueppel is set to assume the mantle for the Hornets. And based on what we have seen from him so far, doing so would be a cinch for the first-year standout.