Tim Duncan is probably the last guy most people would think of to describe Kon Knueppel. But Charlotte Hornets coach Charles Lee used the legend to praise Knueppel's "even-keeled" quality, which should thrill both his and the Hornets' fans.
When asked about Knueppel's composure after the Hornets' win on Thursday, Lee harked back to his training camp stint with the San Antonio Spurs, presumably in 2006, and remembered how Duncan had a similar temperament. The retired guard said, "The highs, the lows never really affected him. You can walk in the gym; you didn't know if he made 10 in a row or missed 10 in a row."
Lee then talked about the parallels between Duncan and Knueppel, remarking, "They have this quiet killer instinct to him, where you don't know what's going on. He's not gonna give his opponent a chance to see where he is emotionally or anything."
First of all, hearing about Lee being able to spend time, even briefly, with Duncan and likely the other notable members of the Spurs organization then, including Gregg Popovich, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, can make you realize how fortunate he is to have been around great company in his basketball career. As we all know, the 41-year-old coach also had experience serving as an assistant coach for two championship-winning clubs, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, before he joined Charlotte.
So, with the wide variety of players and coaches Lee has been able to interact with, he appears to have the capability of managing different personalities in the locker room. Fortunately, Knueppel might evolve into a low-maintenance star and would therefore be an unlikely source of headache for the organization, if the Duncan comparison turns out accurate.
Kon Knueppel is perfect for Hornets
Looking at Charlotte's core shows why the team is lucky to have landed Knueppel at No. 4 in the 2025 draft. Not only have his basketball skills translated to the big league in no time, but his composure and maturity make him the perfect complement to the franchise's other foundational players.
LaMelo Ball has displayed a penchant for showmanship and a flamboyant style of play. He has dialed it down, but there are still times when it appears like he can't help but go for highlight-reel plays. Meanwhile, Brandon Miller can also be flashy at times, although he has exhibited less flair than Ball. However, he has gained a reputation as a bit of a hothead and is the only Hornet to have been ejected from a contest this season after being called for a pair of technical fouls.
Knueppel can serve as the steady hand, and his calm, collected demeanor should balance out his teammates' more spirited behavior.