If you’re going to make a name for yourself, people should know how to pronounce it.
So for the record, Charlotte forward Kon Knueppel — the new No. 1 choice on this week’s Kia Rookie Ladder — is said “kon kuh-NIP-ull.”
In other words, you say the K, as with the Lakers Dalton Knecht (“Connect”) and unlike Kevin Knox, the former Knicks lottery pick, most recently with the NBA G-League’s Windy City Bulls.
Knueppel is the leader of a stellar group of first-year Hornets players, which includes Liam McNeely, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner (another Ladder riser this week). And their Draft positions – in order, No. 4, 29, 33, 34 – has opened eyes to the team’s talent evaluation staff under general manager Jeff Peterson.
Even Knueppel was considered by some as a reach at No. 4, feeling the

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