The Charlotte Hornets' decision to select Kon Knueppel turned out to be divisive at the time, as many people thought that he was nothing more than a shooter. It did not take long for him to prove the doubters wrong, having displayed a complete offensive package, even if still underdeveloped in some areas.
To be fair to some draft experts, Knueppel has indeed been a terrific marksman. He has been knocking down 3-pointers at a historic rate, enough for shooting legend Reggie Miller to hint at his belief that the Hornets rookie can challenge Stephen Curry's record for all-time 3-point makes.
A deep offensive bag
However, his offensive arsenal has consisted of more than just the outside shot. He has also been adept at attacking the basket, using his basketball IQ, ability to manipulate defenses, and mastery of the fundamentals to outsmart opponents. Interestingly, he has hit 54.3 percent of his shots inside the arc with the closest defender being two to four feet away.
In addition to his scoring aptitude, Knueppel has impressed as a connective passer and in pick-and-roll plays. He has been the most efficient non-big roll man this season and has formed a deadly pick-and-pop partnership with LaMelo Ball.
Imagine if the Duke University product also starts to display his prowess as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, a skill that he was able to show more of in college. He would become an even more potent offensive force than he already is.
Exceeding expectations
Perhaps some folks have learned their lesson not to box their understanding of what Knueppel is and can be. So far in his professional career, he has surpassed expectations, even leading the Rookie of the Year race when pundits predicted before the regular season began that Cooper Flagg would run away with the trophy.
It remains to be seen if his former Blue Devils teammate and fellow Rookie of the Month awardee can catch up. However, Charlotte's grim outlook on the conditions of Ball and Brandon Miller could present Knueppel with more opportunities to stretch his production and expand his offensive bag some more. The NBA world has already seen him take his game to the next level whenever his star teammates are sidelined.
The challenge for the promising swingman in that scenario is the possibly increased attention from defenses. On the other hand, that could also allow him to show his wares and boost his case as the best player in his draft class and the foundational piece the Hornets have been searching for a long while now.