Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel offered insight into LaMelo Ball’s personality, describing the former franchise point guard as someone who brought energy to the building while making a point to acknowledge everyone in the organization.
Speaking about his experience alongside Ball, Knueppel said the two-time NBA All-Star made an impression through his daily interactions as much as his play on the court.
“Yeah, he’s loud, but he comes in every day and he says hello to everybody. I mean like trainer, strength coach, assistant coach, whoever’s cooking the food in the meal room. So it’s just cool to have people like that around,” Knueppel said on Milwaukee Uncut Podcast, via HoopsHype.
Knueppel’s comments highlight a side of Ball that often goes unnoticed outside the locker room. While Ball has built his reputation as one of the NBA’s most creative playmakers, the rookie credited him for creating a positive environment by treating every member of the organization with the same level of respect.
Ball spent six seasons with Charlotte after being selected third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. He immediately won Rookie of the Year and developed into one of the league’s premier point guards, earning an All-Star selection in 2022 before continuing to post elite offensive numbers despite battling injuries in subsequent seasons.
He returned to a larger workload in 2025-26, appearing in 72 games and averaging 20.1 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 36.8% from three-point range and a career-best 89.9% from the free-throw line. Across 303 career games with the Hornets, Ball averaged 20.8 points, 7.3 assists and 5.7 rebounds.
Knueppel also enjoyed an outstanding first NBA season. The No. 2 finisher in Rookie of the Year voting averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 81 games while shooting 47.5% from the field, 42.5% from three-point range and posting a 60.1% effective field-goal percentage.
The rookie emerged as one of Charlotte’s top offensive options alongside Brandon Miller, who led the team with 20.2 points per game. Ball finished a close second in scoring, giving the Hornets one of the Eastern Conference’s most promising young cores during their 44-38 campaign that ended in the Play-In Tournament.
That group, however, did not remain together for long.
Earlier this offseason, Charlotte traded Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round selections. The move marked a significant shift in direction for the franchise, which is now building around Knueppel, Miller and a growing collection of future draft assets.
