Just a few months ago, Kon Knueppel and the Duke Blue Devils were bested in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Duke didn't get its ring. Knueppel now has one.
On Sunday, Knueppel and the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Sacramento Kings to earn a perfect 6-0 record and the NBA Summer League title. Finally, Knueppel got his ring. However, that wasn't the only award Knueppel took home.
Following the game, Knueppel was named the MVP, having led the Hornets in scoring for multiple games in a row. In the matchup against Sacramento, Knueppel contributed a resounding 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
Knueppel shot over 33 percent from beyond the arc and shot for four three-point buckets, securing more than half of his points in the game. To put it lightly, Knueppel was on fire on the offensive side of the court against the Kings.
Kon Knueppel NBA Summer League stats
- 15.6 points per game
- 4.8 rebounds per game
- 3.8 assists per game
- 1.2 steals per game
Knueppel sat out for a game after struggling to find his footing during his Summer League debut. Once he returned to the court, there was no stopping the former Blue Devil.
Despite sitting out for a game and scoring just five points in his first Summer League matchup, Knueppel averaged nearly 16 points throughout the off-season schedule. He contributed almost five assists per game, allowing the Hornets to topple every single opponent they faced.
🗡️📸🎰🏆 @Kon2Knueppel pic.twitter.com/ym9ABUQwLX
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) July 21, 2025
Success at the Summer League level doesn't guarantee that Knueppel will excel in the regular season. There have been numerous players who shone brightly in the summer and failed miserably once they got to the actual league.
However, proving his worth to the Hornets is exactly what the No. 4 overall pick needed to do to ensure that he would get the chance to play at the next level.