Charlotte Hornets Rookie Now Internally Seen As The Face Of The Franchise

Over the past several years, the Charlotte Hornets have made some major first round picks, landing the likes of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams. However, despite this influx of young talent, they've still failed to turn things around in any meaningful way, as they currently sit at 8-18 on the season as they once again stare down the barrel of a failed season.

Now though, it may be the pick that they were most criticized for that helps them turn things around, as Kon Knueppel, their 2025 first-round selection that is taking off as a potential star. This season, he's averaged 19 points, 5 boards and 4 assists per game, as he has solidified himself in the Rookie of the Year race alongside Dallas Mavericks star Cooper Flagg.

That hasn't been ignored in Charlotte either, as reports have now revealed that internally, Knueppel is seen as the face and the future of the franchise.

Given the way he's played this season, that shouldn't be too much of a surprise, but after the way they've portrayed LaMelo Ball as their franchise star in recent years, seeing someone take over that mantle so quickly may shock many people.

Only time will tell if Knueppel can be the true franchise star in Charlotte as they look to finally build a genuine playoff contending team, but if this is the way they see their star rookie, the writing may be on the wall for Ball and other key pieces in Charlotte.