Hornets teammates pull up in Kon Knueppel SLAM shirts and it says everything originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It’s one thing to get your own SLAM Magazine cover. It’s another thing when your teammates make it a moment.

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That’s exactly what happened for Kon Knueppel, as several Charlotte Hornets players showed up wearing shirts with his cover printed on them before a big matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Not planned. Not forced. Just real.

And it came on a night that matched the moment.

Against Philadelphia, he finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists in a win. That stat line alone tells you how much he is impacting the game already. Not just scoring, but doing a little bit of everything.

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And it’s not a one-off.

Over his last few games, Knueppel has been on a run:

26 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists vs 76ers

14 points, 4 assists vs Kings

17 points, 6 rebounds vs Magic

He is hovering around 19 points per game on the season while shooting efficiently across the board, including elite numbers from three. For a rookie, that kind of consistency is rare.

More: Lakers’ LeBron James, Bronny James accomplish NBA first

More than stats, it’s trust

That part started back at Duke Blue Devils, where he built a reputation as someone who just plays the right way. No forcing. No extra noise. Just steady basketball that helps teams win. That has carried over immediately.

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And moments like this, teammates showing up in his SLAM cover shirts before a big game, they don’t happen unless a locker room fully buys in. They trust him. They believe in him. They see how he plays.

The SLAM cover is the headline. The shirts made it a team moment. And the performance against Philadelphia made it clear this is not hype. Kon Knueppel is already delivering. The playoffs are coming, and the Hornets, with Kon leading the way could be a sleeping giant.

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