Coby White’s new job in Charlotte comes with a simple priority: get Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller cooking.
At Hornets media day on Monday, White laid out the mindset behind his move into the starting point guard spot. The assignment is bigger now, and he knows it.
He’s replacing LaMelo Ball, who was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on June 25 after averaging 7.3 assists in 303 games with Charlotte. But White isn’t talking about slowing down or disappearing into a pure table-setter role.
He still wants to attack. The difference is that now the ball movement has to be built around the team’s best options.
“I think it definitely changes the mindset a little bit, right?” White said.
“You can't sit here and say, like, I'm just going to be, do the same thing I've done over the years when that hasn't technically been my role. But I think I'm ready for it.
Like I said, it's obviously something that I got to have grace with myself for. But like I said, I have the utmost belief in myself and I'm excited.”
White made it clear that the challenge is as much mental as tactical. He said he has “a lot more on my plate now,” but the formula still starts with his own aggression. The twist is that he has to balance that with feeding teammates who can make defenses pay.
“Obviously, like I said, I got a lot more on my plate now,” White continued. “I still got to be aggressive, got to still be who I am, but also be cognizant of others out there with me on the court.
And there's super talented players with me on the court now. So I got to figure out ways to get those guys the ball when they need it.
I got to figure out ways to get those guys shots when they need shots. So it's exciting.”
That’s where Knueppel and Miller come in. White said both are likely to draw the opponent’s top perimeter defenders most nights, which makes them the center of the offense in his eyes. He’s already been in conversations about actions, spacing and where each player is most comfortable.
White also said this role is pushing him to change how he prepares. He mentioned tweaks to his film routine and said he has been working closely with assistant Lamar Skeeter. The two began talking in the summer about what the Hornets need from White and how he can best fit the job.
“I think this overall experience is going to help me become a way better player than I was the past couple years of my career,” White added. “So I'm excited for the challenge ahead.
And I got some stuff dialed up to change my routine a little bit in terms of film breakdown, film study, and those type of things. I've been working with assistant Lamar Skeeter a lot, so he's been really good for me getting to know him.
And we already started that open dialogue since the summer about what's needed for me and how do I best fit this role to help the team win. So I'm excited.
Like I said, it's going to be a challenge, but ain't nothing I ain't never seen before.”
Skeeter has been Charles Lee’s lead assistant since May 2024. Before that, he spent 10 years with the Utah Jazz after earlier stops with the Canton Charge and Atlanta Hawks. Lee, who came to Charlotte after working with the Boston Celtics, is entering his third season.
White’s comfort in the role isn’t coming out of nowhere. He averaged a career-best 5.1 assists for Chicago in 2023-24, when he finished second in Most Improved Player voting. Last season, he put up 20.4 points and 4.5 assists, and before calf trouble slowed him in Chicago he was at 21.2 points and 5.2 assists.
The Hornets are also asking a lot from the pieces around him. Knueppel, who made 273 3-pointers as a rookie to set both an NBA rookie record and the league high last season, shot 42.5% from deep.
He said Monday the Hornets want him to create offense for others, too. Miller led Charlotte in 65 starts with 20.2 points per game, while shooting 38.3% from 3 and 89.2% at the line.
White said the mix of shooting, versatility and IQ around him should make the transition smoother. He also pointed to Naz Reid and Moussa Diabaté as part of that group.
Reid, 27, was acquired in the Ball trade and averaged 13.6 points while shooting 36.2% from 3 for Minnesota last season. Diabaté won the league’s Hustle Award, and his 3.7 offensive rebounds per game ranked fifth in the NBA.
“Obviously, Kon's historic three-point shooting season. Brandon's so versatile.
Naz, he's versatile. Moussa does what he does.
I think it'll make my job a lot easier, man.”
White said the conversation with his teammates is already underway, with everyone talking through what’s working and what isn’t. For him, the main task is getting the right people the right looks while staying aggressive himself.
“Like I said, it's open dialogue between us about what we feel is working, what we don't feel is working,” White detailed. “And we've already started that open dialogue in terms of what we're seeing and how we view certain actions, what actions you like, what actions you don't like.
So that dialogue has already started. So now it's just about going out there and executing.
And it starts with me, obviously, right?”
He added that Knueppel and Miller are expected to face the toughest defenders most nights, which makes his shot creation even more important.
“But like I said, they're super talented, bro,” White noted. “It makes my job a lot easier.
Knowing that, most nights, obviously, Kon and B-Mill gonna have the best defenders on them. And for me, it's just, how do I get those guys in spots to where they're most effective, while still being aggressive and still being who I am.”
Knueppel is out for the preseason with a hamstring injury, while Miller is returning from May 6 shoulder surgery. Charlotte went 44-38 last season and lost to the Orlando Magic in the play-in tournament. White played 21 games for the Hornets after the trade and signed a three-year, $74 million contract in July.
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