LaMelo Ball talked up Kon Knueppel pre-draft to the Hornets front office

Q: What did LaMelo Ball say about Kon Knueppel to the Hornets' front office?

LaMelo Ball described Kon Knueppel as savvy with a high basketball IQ and impressive shooting skills, providing a detailed evaluation to the Hornets' GM.

Q: Why did the Hornets draft Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick?

The Hornets drafted Kon Knueppel with the fourth pick based on LaMelo Ball's strong recommendation and evaluation of his skills before the draft lottery revealed their pick position.

Although Cooper Flagg was the consensus can't-miss prospect, Ball was talking up Kon Knueppel to the Hornets GM. Ball had watched Duke play during the season and told Peterson how savvy he thought the forward was. He was struck by Knueppel's basketball IQ and understanding of the game -- impressive even for a five-star prospect. And of course, there was Knueppel's elite shooting. Ball's astute scouting report was before Charlotte even knew where it would be drafting. The Hornets learned in the draft lottery a month later that they would have the fourth pick, which they eventually used on Knueppel. "He's spot on with those traits," Peterson told ESPN of that break-of-dawn draft breakdown. "He was very detailed in his evaluation of why he liked him. That was even more impressive that he was able to kind of highlight him because there were some other guys that he didn't highlight. "He may have a future in the front office if he wants."

ESPN

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: LaMelo Ball talked up Kon Knueppel pre-draft to the Hornets front office