After Kon Knueppel got drafted fourth overall by the Hornets, he revealed exactly what Charlotte fans can expect from him, “They’re gonna see, I love that in the clip they showed me diving on the floor for my clip. So, they’ll see some more of that.” Sure enough, it didn’t take long for the Duke product to showcase his hustle to the NBA World, as he took over the Las Vegas Summer League. Unfortunately, the attribute he spoke so highly of backfired tonight as Kon’s willingness to sacrifice led to a bloody outcome.

As the Hornets faced OKC for a chance to book a spot in the Summer League championship game, Knueppel left everything on the floor to help his team win. However, things turned scary when the small forward dove for a loose ball and hit the deck hard, face first. With a big bloody gash above his right eye, Kon covered it with a towel and headed straight to the locker room to assess the injury.

Fortunately, the blow did not look too serious as he was able to walk off the floor on his own and was even talking to the medical staff. And Kon had already done enough to lead his team to the final. In another dominant showing, he dropped 17 points, along with three assists and two steals. Meanwhile, Jaylen Sims led the charge with 25 points.

With five players scoring in double-digits, Charlotte got an easy blowout win over OKC and will compete for the Summer League title on Sunday. Hopefully, Knueppel will make a complete recovery before that game and suit up to finish his campaign on a high note. The youngster has shown massive potential so far. Prior to tonight, he was averaging 13.3 points and over five rebounds in three appearances, and he continued that form against OKC. Hornets clearly made the right pick this time. Even his college buddy Cooper Flagg couldn’t stop cheering for him when Adam Silver announced Charlotte’s decision.

“Choked up” Kon Knueppel deems Cooper Flagg’s draft night reaction “special”

When Adam Silver announced Kon’s selection during last month’s draft night, his Duke buddy Cooper Flagg was doing an interview with Taylor Rooks, discussing his Mavs selection. But as soon as Cooper heard his college roommate’s name, he immediately got up from his seat and began cheering in excitement. His candid reaction went viral as fans were left in awe of their strong relationship.

While Kon did not get a chance to do it then, he addressed Flagg’s reaction during a recent interview, “It’s really special. Cause it extends (beyond) him just being my teammate, or whatever. He actually cares for me and wants me to have success. And we feel that way about each other. But to see someone so excited for someone else’s success, you don’t see that all the time, and that was really cool. I got a little choked up when I saw (the video of Flagg’s reaction) for the first time.”

Clearly, the former Duke stars have a strong bond and it reflects in how they talk about each other. Even Kon has publicly admired the Mavs rookie’s infectious work ethic, which makes him so great. And the hoop community is waiting for the day when Kon and Cooper face each other for the first time in the NBA. Are you excited for that matchup?