Kon Knueppel didn’t hesitate when asked to build his all-time Duke lineup.
The Charlotte Hornets wing, heading into his second NBA season, laid out a five-man group that starts with Bobby Hurley at point guard, JJ Redick at shooting guard, Grant Hill at small forward, Shane Battier at power forward and Christian Laettner at center.
"I'm going to go, full career, Bobby Hurley at the one, JJ Redick at the two, Grant Hill at the three, Shane Battier at the four, and Christian Laettner at the five," Knueppel said.
He added former Blue Devils guard Jay Williams as his sixth man.
It’s a strong nod from someone who spent only one season in Durham, but Knueppel made the most of that lone year. During the 2024-25 college basketball season, he averaged 14.4 points, four rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from beyond the arc.
That one season was enough to keep him firmly in the Duke conversation, especially after the hype that followed his commitment to the Blue Devils.
Now the focus shifts back to Charlotte, where Knueppel’s rookie year already put him on the radar as a player with real upside. He appeared in 81 games, made 80 starts and finished with averages of 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists, while shooting 47.5 percent overall and 42.5 percent from three-point range.
His shooting was the headliner, but he showed more than just touch from deep. The Hornets saw enough in year one to believe there’s real star potential here.
Year two will tell a lot. If Knueppel takes another step, he can start to look like a central piece of what Charlotte is trying to build.
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