Kon Knueppel Kon, the oldest of five brothers, is a highly touted freshman for the Hornets. As of late, he put together one dream-team dinner for his fam and old skool teammates. The event came just a night before the Hornets would go on to battle the Bucks in one of the most pivotal NBA Cup matchups of the season. The outpouring of support brought out almost 2,000 friends and family members to the event, a testament to the close-knit community that the young athlete engendered.
On the court, Knueppel proved his mettle, scoring a career-high 32 points. Even with this level of incredible production, the Hornets still lost to the Bucks, 147-134 in OT. The loss was heartbreaking for the young team. Even so, the dinner from the night before provided an unparalleled opportunity to forge connections, neighborly feelings, and fun companionship.
Chari Knueppel, Kon’s mother, was the driving force behind the dinner’s organization. She opened her house to the entire Hornets roster. This had a huge impact to create a warm, inviting atmosphere for the players. The event allowed teammates to connect off the court, which Knueppel appreciated deeply.
“It was a special hour and a half for us,” he remarked about the dinner. He talked about how surreal it was to have the team bus go down his block. “Taking the [team] bus down my street, going home, that was weird,” he said, expressing the novelty of having his friends and teammates in such a personal setting.
The dinner was a great opportunity for all of the players to relax and socialize before the game. It challenged them to engage with each other in a fun, social environment. As one teammate commented, it was their first time in a teammate’s house. They spoke to how precious and priceless this event was to each and every one of them.
Chari Knueppel took to Twitter to share moments from the dinner, celebrating the team’s bond and her son’s achievements as a first-round draft pick. Family and friends quickly rallied behind Knueppel, providing support in incredible numbers. That close knit community will be important as he goes through his developing career in the NBA.
Leave a Reply