The triumph marks a major milestone for a franchise eager to build a winning culture around its emerging young core, and signals a new era of promise and competitive fire for Hornets basketball.

Kon Knueppel, the Hornets’ heralded fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, showcased poise that belied his age, capping a stellar tournament with 21 points and five rebounds. Knueppel’s pivotal three-pointer with just over 30 seconds remaining iced the game and proved decisive against a determined Kings squad.

Ryan Kalkbrenner, the 34th overall selection, added 15 points and nine rebounds, anchoring a front line that rebuffed Sacramento’s repeated comeback efforts.

Game Recap: Late Drama and Young Stars Deliver

Charlotte stormed out of the gate, at one point leading by 18 in the second quarter thanks to red-hot shooting—71 percent from the field and 55 percent from beyond the arc in the early going. The Kings, led by Isaac Jones’ 24 points and 11 rebounds, clawed back methodically. Jones, coming off a G League championship, nearly powered Sacramento all the way back, narrowing Charlotte’s lead to a single point in the final minute.

In the game’s decisive sequence, Knueppel drilled a deep three from the wing to restore a four-point cushion before Jones answered with a triple of his own. Forced to foul in the closing moments, the Kings could not complete the comeback as the Hornets converted at the free-throw line.

Kalkbrenner’s reliable play on both ends, including a block and a vital late rebound, helped close out the win. Coach Chris Jent later emphasized the group’s composure and togetherness in high-pressure moments, noting how the squad gelled quickly even as they coped with injuries and missing key contributors throughout the tournament.

Signs of a Culture Shift in Charlotte

While summer league glory is modest compared to the regular season, this title holds additional significance for the Hornets. It is the franchise’s first ever championship at any NBA-affiliated level, and it arrives amid ongoing changes to player development and organizational leadership.

Standouts Knueppel and Kalkbrenner embodied a refreshing resilience, with Knueppel’s confidence peaking as he averaged 18.3 points over Charlotte’s last four games and earned championship MVP honors.

With several key rookies and rotation players out due to injury—including Liam McNeeley and Tidjane Salaun—Charlotte’s remaining youth carried them to a perfect 6-0 record over the summer.

Every player contributed, signaling a new competitive attitude that Hornets fans have long hoped to see become sustainable. Sunday night could be remembered as the night a new identity for Charlotte basketball began to take root.