Chapter 1: What makes Kon Knueppel's rookie season notable?
Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily presented by Amazon Prime for February 18th, 2026. I'm Dave DeFore. Here with Zena Kata and Maren Fader. Coming up, we talk to Maren Fader about her big con-conimple piece, the Charlotte Hornets, and basketball joy. Good morning, everybody. What's up, Zena? Welcome to the show. Maren, how are you guys doing?
We're good.
Thank you for having me. Awesome. The Charlotte Hornets are fast becoming our favorite team around here. Like, they're so much fun. And with the slow week, we thought it would be a good time to check in on some of the bigger stories that we've had over at The Athletic.
So we brought in our feature writer, Mirren Fader, who wrote a great story about Con Canipple and his whole process and family and upbringing.
Chapter 2: How did Mirin Fader come to profile Kon Knueppel?
Mirren, welcome to the show. How did you have the idea to follow around Conn Knipple? And how did you know it was going to be so interesting?
My editor actually, Glenn, he was like, you know, there's something interesting about this guy and his family. Like I'm seeing this family everywhere and there's a lot of K names. And so for me as a feature writer, I'm like, OK, what's interesting? What's beyond the like somebody scoring 20 points a game? And I was like, huh, like he's actually really good. But who is he?
You know, what's what's happening with him? And I think a lot of smaller market teams that don't get a lot of attention, they have the best stories. So I was like, I need to see what this guy's backstory is.
And I love your piece, especially the way you open it up. Coach Charles Lee, head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, calling Khan an effing killer. And that feels jarring, given how composed and kind of understated and poised Khan comes across publicly.
Chapter 3: What unique qualities does Kon Knueppel bring to the Charlotte Hornets?
He looks like an accountant. Like, we can say this, Zena, okay?
He just... That's not...
What we think about when we think about basketball killer, right?
One thousand percent. You're absolutely right. And Mirren, you've written a lot of deep profiles on a lot of NBA players. So I'm curious for maybe other effing killers that you've probably covered. How does Khan compare as a person as you kind of peel back the layers and found out more about him?
Oh my gosh, my like killer rankings. Yes. He, it's so funny because we were just meeting at this junior college and he walks in and like, if you didn't know basketball, you would literally not think this person is an NBA player. He looks so like boy next door and he was so normal and nice and Hi, how are you doing?
You know, versus us, we're used to just like going around, you know, trying to get two minutes with this person. Will they let us talk to them in the hallway? He's just like so down to earth and normal. And then he gets on the court and it's this like straight up menace. And I think out of all the killers that I've profiled, including his teammate, LaMelo Ball, Khan is... is definitely top five.
Like, written and honest. Like, Khan is top five because he's so silent with it. It's so out of nowhere. Like, he has this deadpan face, and then he's just like, the competitiveness just comes out. And he gets black eyes. He gets bruises. He'll get knocked down. He comes back the next day, and he's just like, yeah, I'm going to bust a three in your face. Like, it's just, I can't even explain it.
It is such a silent killer.
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Chapter 4: How does Kon's upbringing influence his basketball journey?
It's giving? Yeah, it's giving early Stephen Curry. I mean, it's the accountant.
It's like the movie, you know, the Ben Affleck.
With Kobe calling Stephen the baby face killer, and it was because you didn't expect it. Now, you know, Steph, I feel like has the, he understands the business of it. He understands the entertainment of it. So he kind of has the moments. But before, when he started, it was very much like Khan, where it's deadpan, those laser eyes. I'm just focused in. Yeah.
Yeah. It's like, it's like that clip was like Kobe and it was Matt Barnes, right? Who like throws it all out. Yes. I am not blinking.
Yeah.
One does not blink. And like, he's just so focused. And it's funny because like when coach Lee was telling me that he was so serious, he was like, look, I'm not even exaggerating. Like this is him. And I think that's cool because a lot of times, especially with three point shooters, they think, oh, you just stand in the corner and like bust threes. But there is a tenacity.
He is working on his defense like you see the killer come out in so many other ways than just like I'm going to score on you.
How much of the success that we're seeing from the Hornets, and it's funny to say because he's a rookie and he's halfway through his rookie year, right? This is not the sort of player that typically affects a team. How much would you give him credit for, Conk and Nipple, coming in as a rookie and being ready to play physically and mentally ready to play? Put it at a percentage.
I want to know what you think after spending time with these guys.
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Chapter 5: What role does coaching play in the Hornets' success?
his impact because it goes beyond just, you know, the scoring and, and the impact, I would put it 50, 60%. Wow. When he talks, people listen. And even the veterans on that team, which there are a lot, like I spent a lot of time with Pat Connaughton and he was so effusive with his praise about cons leadership and the way he's so mature.
And so I think like that type of thing is why they're doing well. It isn't just, you know, I'm scoring a lot and we're having fun. I think he really does try to like bring people together. Um, even as a rookie to be able to like lead in film session, which he does and, you know, point out what everybody's doing and go, just go to a teammate individual and say, Hey, I need you to be here.
Like, those are things that you don't really start doing till like second year, third year, fourth year, you know? And I think even being on a team with guys who are used to doing that, like Pat, um, it really speaks volumes about the confidence that he has and, and the way that his teammates empower him to do that. Right. It would be very easy for them to resent him.
Oh, who are you like this rookie coming in, telling us what to do, whatever. Everyone really likes him. And I think it's because he does the work, right? Like he's not asking you to do something that he's not willing to do. It isn't loud. It isn't, um, you know, I'm the best, I'm the leader of the team. It's very much like, I'm going to go about my work and I hope you do too. And let's have fun.
I love that visual of him raising his hand in film session to call things out. Because I remember being a freshman and being told by my coach, just stand on the sand, watch the waves from the beach. You're supposed to just observe and listen. And so I love that. And what Dave is referring to, we saw that nine-game winning streak between January and February. Longest for the franchise.
Since 1999, second longest in franchise history.
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Chapter 6: How has Charles Lee impacted the Charlotte Hornets' culture?
And a lot of that can be attributed to just how well they did offensively. First in offensive efficiency during that run, second in three-point shooting percentage, and had his top five defense. And you're looking at Ball, LaMelo, who you've covered, from high school before he got to the league, which is awesome. Then...
miller and knipple and this trio and this chemistry that they've picked up so quickly what's been the thing to help build that chemistry and how rare is it to see guys pick up that so quickly the way that we've seen these guys pick it up it's super rare and you know what the more i think about it the more i think the reason why they bonded so well is actually
something that others consider to be a knock on them, but it's actually what makes them so good. So it's their ability to have fun. And we hear that, especially as sports writers are like, really, that's the key. You're having fun. Okay. Like so cliche, right? Thank you. I'm glad you're having fun. You're making a lot of money and you're playing professional basketball.
No, but like it, like that is the key. And at first, when Khan said that to me, like we have fun, I, you know, have really learned to center joy in my life. I thought, Is that really the key? But then it is because sometimes players get so nervous. They get so in their heads. They're worried about the wrong things. Everybody's trying to get their own stats.
Everybody's trying to get paid that you forget, not only forget joy, but you lose it. And it becomes this job and it becomes this monotonous slog. Mellow, Miller, Khan, they look like they're playing pickup 24-7 and they just look like they're having a ball. And it's because they are.
And I think that's why they're so poised is because they are making sure that they haven't lost that sort of joyful, youthful spirit. And a lot of guys, as they progress in their careers, they lose that. And I think what you're seeing is that young energy. And so while people tend to criticize that, especially with somebody like LaMelo, it's actually their greatest engine.
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Chapter 7: What is the significance of joy in the Hornets' gameplay?
It's actually what is making this so fun. And it's like palpable, right? Like even the one practice that I was there to do this story with, I felt the vibes, like the vibes were so high. Everyone was joking with each other and like, don't get me wrong. They were serious. They were going through their, their drills and shooting, but everyone was sort of messing with each other.
You know, LaMelo was like, you can't shoot that. And I was like, watch this, you know? And it's like your favorite kid brother going off, but they're all like that no matter their age. And so I think they know when it's time to get serious, but they also know that, um, If you keep that sort of fresh, youthful, fun spirit, you can still get results.
And, you know, I was at the time I went to the practice, I was hearing all these reports like, oh, there's trouble in Charlotte. Will LaMelo stay? And I was like, literally, everyone is having so much fun at this practice. I could be wrong. Right. I'm an outsider. But I was like, no, vibes are really, really awesome. They look like they genuinely all enjoy being there.
Yeah, we're going to take a quick break. And when we come back, we're going to talk more about joy and the Charlotte Hornets.
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Chapter 8: How does Kon Knueppel's family background shape his identity?
So how much of this is about Con Canepo? How much of this is LaMelo Ball? And how much of this is Charles Lee? Because this guy, I believe, Charles Lee has come down there and just changed everything for the franchise. Did you see a couple weeks ago when LaMelo ran into him on the sideline during the game? Did you see this? They kind of crashed into each other.
Charles Lee goes into the locker room with a hard hat on. And charges at LaMelo. And I mean, the entire locker room is cutting up to your point before this entire franchise was a sad story. They never won. They were constantly sort of in the play and not really, you know, no direction whatsoever. And in the last year and a half, things have just changed.
I mean, part of that is Charles Lee and they've drafted really well. I am going to give Charles Lee, if you're saying 50% con can nipple, the other 50% has got to be Charles Lee.
Oh, gotta be. And I saw that too. First of all, um, the clip of him charging out during the, during the brawl and like defending the team.
I was like, yes.
I was like, okay. Yup. Yup. He has that team's respect. Like Charles Lee is about half-life. Like that was absolutely like, that told me everything I need to know. He's going to war for them. They're going to war for him. He, he commands the respect of the entire, uh, gym and team. Um, I really also like that he encourages questions. We talked about film session.
I like that he empowers players to speak up. What do you see? What do you see? What do you see? That's critical for a young team. You have to not be afraid to ask questions. You have to not be afraid to speak up. And I think he's empowering all of them to kind of learn in real time. One of the things that didn't really make the piece I was talking a lot about
The way that Khan makes adjustments so quickly. But it takes, yes, it takes the player to make adjustments in the game quickly. And these young players are doing that really, really well. But it's also the coach to trust them that, hey, I trust that you can make this adjustment immediately. It's not something I want you to go think about after the game.
We'll figure it out at shoot around tomorrow. He's like, I need you to do this now. And I think he's really coaching them and trusting them and trusting their intellect and saying, like, I believe you can do this. And I think belief and confidence, those are important. Again, it sounds so cliche, but he really does have belief and confidence in this team.
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