Inside the Hornets’ transformation into the NBA’s most talked-about team
THE SUN WAS still several hours from rising over the Manhattan skyline, yet a spirited LaMelo Ball was awake shortly after 4 a.m., providing perhaps his most crucial assist for the Charlotte Hornets on this brisk morning in April 2025.
Ball and Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson were en route to the esteemed Hospital for Special Surgery for the point guard’s season-ending arthroscopic procedures on his right wrist and ankle. As their town car glided through the nearly deserted streets of New York City, Peterson sought Ball’s thoughts on potential lottery draft prospects. The point guard’s focus shifted to a highly regarded Duke player.
While Cooper Flagg was widely recognized as the consensus top prospect, Ball advocated for Kon Knueppel to the Hornets GM. Having observed Duke throughout the season, Ball expressed his admiration for the forward’s savvy play. He was particularly impressed by Knueppel’s basketball IQ and grasp of the game—remarkable even for a five-star recruit. Additionally, Knueppel’s exceptional shooting stood out.
Ball’s insightful scouting assessment came before Charlotte even knew its draft position. The Hornets discovered in the draft lottery a month later that they would select fourth, a pick they ultimately used on Knueppel.
“He’s accurate with those attributes,” Peterson remarked to ESPN regarding that early morning draft analysis. “He provided a thorough evaluation of why he favored him. It was even more impressive that he was able to spotlight him, especially since there were other players he chose not to emphasize.”
“He might have a future in the front office if he desires.”
A year later, Ball is experiencing the most successful season of his career. Meanwhile, Knueppel, whose remarkable rookie season could earn him Rookie of the Year accolades, has emerged as the ideal player to unlock the potential of Ball and the Hornets.
Ball and Knueppel have established a promising 3-point shooting partnership reminiscent of the modern-day Splash Brothers. Charlotte has become one of the most compelling narratives of the NBA season, achieving a remarkable turnaround with a formidable starting lineup that includes the rising Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, and Moussa Diabate. The Hornets secured 44 victories after managing only 19 wins the previous season. Only the Spurs have experienced a more significant turnaround this year.
“No one thinks playing against Charlotte will be an easy game,” Knueppel stated to ESPN. “It has been in the past couple of years.”
After averaging 60 losses over the last three seasons, Charlotte has regained its competitive spirit, reminiscent of the excitement generated by Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning in the ’90s when the Hornets appeared to be a team on the rise. At the helm is Ball, who is not only healthy but also aims to demonstrate that he is a winning point guard, not merely a flashy player. The young talent assembled by Charlotte is flourishing and determined to prove that the Hornets are no longer a source of ridicule.
The Hornets could have faltered after an early wave of injuries and a 4-14 start, but instead, they are just two wins away from ending the NBA’s longest active playoff drought. After nine years without postseason basketball, Charlotte has the opportunity to break this streak by advancing from the play-in tournament, which begins Tuesday night against the 10th-seeded Miami Heat.
Since January 2, the Hornets have posted a 33-15 record, bolstered by confidence-building—at times convincing—victories over the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, and Denver Nuggets.
“We just keep changing the narrative,” guard Coby White, a key trade acquisition at the deadline, told ESPN. “Previously, people didn’t take Hornets basketball seriously. Sports analysts made jokes on television. Many players in the locker room were offended and took that personally. So you can see how they play—they’re tired of that narrative here.”
“Now I believe the world is beginning to recognize how serious Hornets basketball is.”
WHEN THE INDIANA PACERS were making their unexpected run in the Finals against the Thunder, Bridges, Ball, and Miller communicated with each other.
“‘We can do that too,'” Bridges recounted to ESPN regarding their conversation. “We kind of modeled our game after that. We want to play at that pace.”
Indiana lost Tyrese Haliburton to an Achilles tendon injury and fell in Game 7 of the Finals. However, the Hornets recognized the potential of running an up-tempo offense with a versatile point guard capable of passing and shooting. Last season, Ball and Haliburton ranked first and second, respectively, according to GeniusIQ, in jump passes per game, which can create movement in a free-flowing offense and pose challenges for defenses.
Head coach Charles Lee—who brings a Boston influence to the Hornets’ offensive style from his time as a Celtics assistant under Joe Mazzulla—can often be seen signaling a playcall with a steering wheel gesture to his team. This is fitting, as the Hornets aim to play at full speed with continuous movement; they lead the NBA in double on-ball screens per game and points generated from those actions this season, according to ESPN Research.
“They provided a blueprint for many,” Knueppel noted about the Pacers. “We might not have a superstar, All-Star, or All-NBA player, but we have a lot of solid contributors. When we play quickly and have several players who can make significant contributions, it suits our style well.”
In their second season together, Peterson and Lee established a different atmosphere in training camp with a decision that diverged from the Hornets’ past. Charlotte released veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie in October, just three months after signing him to a one-year, $3.6 million contract. Instead, the Hornets retained veteran Pat Connaughton as a locker room presence, making a financial decision that the franchise might not have made previously.
“Of course, Spencer’s talented and a great guy,” said Bridges, the longest-tenured Hornet who has been with the team since entering the league in 2018. “But they opted for Pat because he has a championship ring, has been part of successful playoff teams, and brings a strong voice. We need those types of individuals in the locker room.”
“I didn’t expect us to cut [Dinwiddie]. It was definitely surprising.”
Despite the Hornets losing 14 of their first 18 games, including a seven-game losing streak, the locker room managed to stay united and avoid reverting to old patterns, even with injuries to Ball and Miller.
“When I first arrived, it was sometimes challenging for players to push through moments of adversity,” Lee told ESPN. “I felt that at times, players were like, ‘Ah, we’re the Hornets. Here we go again. We’re injured. We’re going to lose.’ There was almost a defeated mindset when challenges arose.”
However, Lee observed a different mentality this season. Once Ball and Miller returned to health and Lee implemented a starting lineup of Ball, Miller, Knueppel, Bridges, and Diabate, the Hornets took off. They unexpectedly dominated the Thunder in Oklahoma City, 124-97, on January 5.
“After the game, we were like, ‘Why can’t we do this every game?'” Bridges said. “Since then, we’ve had the confidence that we can defeat anyone.”
They overwhelmed the Utah Jazz 150-95 for the second-largest victory in franchise history just five nights later. They later triumphed over the Lakers in Los Angeles by 18, won at Denver by 23, and embarked on a nine-game winning streak followed by another six-game streak in late February through early March. Those six consecutive victories came by margins of over 15 points, tying for the second-longest streak by that margin in a single season in NBA history. Since January 1, Charlotte boasts the top-ranked offense (120.7 ORTG) and fifth-ranked defense (110.2 DRTG).
“Similar to OKC, you have a group of players fully committed to their roles,” remarked the Philadelphia 76ers’ Paul George. “They play unselfish basketball … They’re all shining together.”
Like many young teams, Charlotte still faces challenges in close games, holding a 10-18 record in clutch situations when the scoring margin is within five points in the final five minutes. The Hornets also need to demonstrate their ability to contend with physical and larger teams. They viewed a recent three-game home stretch against the Knicks, Sixers, and Celtics as a significant test against squads with playoff-experienced stars.
They squandered a 15-point lead and fell 118-114 at home to the 76ers—who had Tyrese Maxey, George, and Joel Embiid back together—in a contest that felt playoff-like on March 28. The following day, the Hornets lost 114-99 to Jayson Tatum and the Celtics, who played without Jaylen Brown. Ball and Knueppel combined to shoot 22-for-72 from the field in those two defeats.
“That’s the next step,” White stated. “Everything else is checked off. For us, winning those tough games when things aren’t going our way … That’s how playoff games are.”
Nonetheless, the Hornets showcased their potential in a 114-103 victory over the Knicks on March 26. During a 64-second flurry in the third quarter, Ball and Knueppel each hit three deep 3-pointers. Knueppel consistently found space off screens for 11 crucial points in that quarter.
When Miller executed a powerful fast-break dunk with 8:32 remaining in the fourth quarter to extend the Hornets’ lead to 21, the forward celebrated with rapper DaBaby, a regular supporter, on the baseline. The Spectrum Center erupted, with Hornets fans finally outnumbering the large contingent of Knicks supporters who typically attend.
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That game marked one of the Spectrum Center’s record 25 sellouts this season. Dell Curry—the all-time leader in games played for a franchise that once sold out 371 consecutive games from 1988 to 1997—described the victory over the Knicks as one of the top three games for the organization in the past decade.
“Charlotte’s been yearning for this,” Curry, the current team TV analyst, told ESPN. “It’s been craving a team that plays like this.”
Fans have rallied around the Hornets for their high-energy offense and their determination to stand their ground. When the Pistons ended the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak in Charlotte on February 9, the two teams engaged in the most significant brawl of the season, resulting in ejections and subsequent suspensions for Diabate, Bridges, and Detroit’s Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. Lee was also ejected for disputing with an official.
“They were trying to push us around the entire game, taunting us while we were down,” Bridges remarked. “I believe we demonstrated to the league that we won’t back down from anyone.”
“We certainly wanted to show other teams that we’re not soft, and we’ve been doing just that.”
MONTHS BEFORE THE Hornets led the defending champions by as much as 30 in OKC, Ball recognized that the Hornets would be a formidable challenge.
When Knueppel joined the veterans for summer workouts and scrimmages at Queens University in August, the Hornets began to realize their potential. He and Ball connected immediately. They exhibited “incredible synergy” and consistently found each other open on the court, according to Peterson.
“We knew [for a long time],” Ball told ESPN about when he recognized the Hornets were going to be this successful. “Honestly, during the summer, we saw Kon and everyone else playing well. We thought, ‘Oh, we have a solid team for sure. We just need to put it all together.’
It didn’t take long for the two to develop a bond off the court as the Hornets’ unlikely duo.
“Opposites attract,” Ball explained.
Ball is a larger-than-life “one-of-a-kind” personality whose voice often resonates throughout the halls of the Spectrum Center, where the Hornets also practice.
The composed Knueppel displays little emotion on the court. However, the rookie claims he and Ball are on the same wavelength, frequently exchanging sarcastic glances in the locker room as they share laughs about other teammates.
“Kon has more of a dry sense of humor, almost like ‘The Office,'” Lee noted. “And Melo is more like ‘Martin’ or ‘In Living Color.’ But they make each other laugh.”
Winning, however, is no joking matter for Knueppel. Even as a 20-year-old rookie, he has challenged the team during film sessions to improve winning habits and has even called out veterans like Bridges for “nonsense” during a game against Atlanta earlier in the season.
“Just bringing a mature approach,” Knueppel said about fostering a winning mindset. “I think that was crucial for the organization, just bringing in players who view basketball in a way where winning is the only priority. Ego-less basketball players. That was essential to establish that tone.”
Veterans and coaches have noted Knueppel’s intense focus on winning as having a substantial impact.
“Kon’s a bit more of a tough character, but he’s our tough character,” forward Grant Williams told ESPN with a genuine smile. “But he’s a great person. He’s the one who keeps it straightforward and honest. Meanwhile, Melo is loud, vibrant, and tattooed … I feel like Kon is a bit more reserved. Just completely different backgrounds.”
“But they complement each other exceptionally well.”
On the court, the duo has been deadly from beyond the arc, with Knueppel becoming the first rookie to lead the league in 3-pointers made (273) and Ball finishing second (272). Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the only other teammates to finish first and second in the same season, achieving this feat four times at the peak of their 3-point prowess.
Averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc, Knueppel surpassed Michael Jordan for the most games by a rookie with 20-plus points on 65% true shooting, achieving this in 32 games.
“People categorize him as a shooter, someone who relies on others to create for him—he’s not that,” Williams stated. “He can create his own shot, has excellent footwork, can drive effectively, and is a good finisher.
“But he also drains 3-pointers like I’ve never seen before.”
LESS THAN FIVE minutes into the Hornets’ game against the Sixers, Ball hit the floor after taking a sharp elbow to the face from Embiid. The Spectrum Center crowd held its breath given Ball’s injury history. However, Ball has repeatedly bounced back this season, playing in a career-high 56 consecutive games dating back to December 14.
After missing a total of 141 games over the previous three seasons due to injuries—the Hornets went 31-110 without Ball during that time—Ball committed to improving his physical condition.
“He’s really focusing on his body,” Kemba Walker, Charlotte’s all-time leading scorer and current assistant coach, told ESPN. “His daily habits and approach have changed; he’s fully embracing his leadership role. Melo is still learning how to lead and win. I believe he’s finally grasped it.”
Ball, 24, arrived at training camp with an additional 12 pounds of muscle on his 6-foot-7, 180-pound frame. He has also accepted playing fewer minutes and even coming off the bench at times. When the Hornets sought a creative way to allow him to play at the end of halves in back-to-back games in January while being cautious with his usage after he missed 10 games earlier in the season due to a right ankle injury, Ball volunteered to come off the bench in three games, according to Peterson.
“LaMelo has been so gifted growing up that he has been able to bypass certain things,” Peterson noted. “But as you reach this stage, are you willing to dive for loose balls? Are you committed to the scouting report? Are you getting those extra hours of sleep? Are you coming in early to take care of your body? And he’s consistently doing all those things now.
“It speaks volumes about a player of his caliber, playing fewer minutes. His scoring averages have decreased, but the team is experiencing greater success.”
Ball’s scoring has dropped from 25.2 points per game last season to 20.1 points per game, and his 17.3 shot attempts per game are his lowest since his second season. Ball’s assists (7.1) and rebounds (4.8) per game, along with his usage rate, are also lower than the previous season.
Lee is unafraid to hold Ball accountable and remove him after a poor play. Playing the fewest minutes per game (28.0) of his six-year career and having less ball time, the point guard’s turnovers have decreased to 2.8, marking the first time he has been under three per game since his rookie season. His 3-point shooting percentage of 36.8% is his highest since his third season in the league.
Teammates have noted a different Ball this season. Bridges mentioned he had never seen the point guard yell at a teammate before this year.
“People only notice the flashy moves, the one-legged 3s,” Miller, who is averaging 20.2 points and 4.9 rebounds, told ESPN. “I don’t think people recognize much of his effort on the defensive end, which has changed significantly for him. He’s focused on making everyone around him better. That’s why he’s our leader.”
A year after Ball assisted Peterson with his insights on Knueppel, the two sharpshooters achieved 44 wins—a career high for Ball. Now he aims to help Charlotte reach the playoffs and secure its first playoff victory since 2016.
“My entire life, I’ve been a winner,” Ball stated
