Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel made his presence felt in the preseason opener against the reigning NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, posting a team-high 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-10 from deep in 23 minutes. Despite his strong showing, the Hornets fell 135-114 to a Thunder team loaded with depth.

Hornets head coach Charles Lee sees room for growth, particularly in how vocal Kon is on the court. “ We need to get him talking a little bit more. He’s a quiet kid, but as the opposing player runs into pick-and-rolls, I need him yelling out the commands to make sure that the guy on the ball can also understand what we’re going to do coverage-wise and we can be on the same page…” The coach emphasized that while Kon’s skill and hustle are clear, his ability to com

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