Latest news with #CharlesLee
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets' Kon Knueppel named MVP of NBA Summer League championship game
Kon Knueppel was named the MVP of the NBA Summer League championship game after leading the Charlotte Hornets to the title on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada. Knueppel produced a team-high 21 points, five rebounds and two assists in an 83-78 win over the Sacramento Kings at the Thomas & Mack Center. He went 8-of-21 from the field, including 4-of-11 from 3-point range, in 32 minutes of action. The fourth pick came up with a clutch 3-pointer and free throw in the final minute to hold off the Kings and help the Hornets claim their first title in the desert. Rookie Ryan Kalkbrenner added 15 points and nine rebounds while Jaylen Sims, KJ Simpson and DJ Rodman each had 11 points. Knueppel finished by averaging 15.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.2 steals on 40.6% shooting from the field in five appearances. He missed one game on the second night of a back-to-back to manage a prior ankle injury suffered during the predraft process. The soon-to-be 20-year-old has had a productive run this summer, showcasing himself at a high level in each appearance. He is a part of a stacked rookie class for the Hornets and has helped create plenty of anticipation heading into next season. The Hornets capped off their stay in Sin City with a 6-0 record. Knueppel and the group will look to carry their momentum, fresh off a title, into next season under second-year coach Charles Lee. This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets news: Kon Knueppel named NBA Summer League title game MVP
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Milwaukee Bucks will trade fan-favorite Pat Connaughton to the Charlotte Hornets for Vasilije Micić
The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to trade one of the last holdovers of their 2020-21 NBA championship team in Pat Connaughton to the Charlotte Hornets for veteran point guard Vasilije Micić. The Bucks also dipped into their future draft capital, sending out their 2031 and 2032 second-round draft picks to the Hornets as well. Connaughton will be reunited with Hornets head coach Charles Lee, who was an assistant on the 2021 title team. Advertisement Connaughton, 32, picked up his $9.4 million player option before the 2025 NBA Draft and had been involved in trade talks since last February. A stalwart for the Bucks since signing in 2018, Connaughton did see his role diminish last season under head coach Doc Rivers. In seven years with the Bucks, Connaughton appeared in 440 games (66 starts) and shot 35.5% from behind the three-point line. A fan favorite in that time, he participated in the 2020 slam dunk contest at the All-Star game and 2024 AmFam Championship celebrity foursome with Andy North. He also became entrenched off the court in the city of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin through his eponymous foundation that built and refurbished basketball courts, and his privately owned real estate company. Damian Lillard reacts: He makes first public statement after Bucks make shocking move to waive nine-time All-Star Bucks acquire Vasilije Micić from Hornets Micić is on his third team in a month, as the Phoenix Suns picked up the 6-foot, 3-inch point guard's $8.1 million team option to facilitate a trade between the Suns and Hornets for center Mark Williams. Advertisement Micić has played just two seasons in the NBA after spending most of his career in Europe, shooting 31% from behind the three-point line in 101 career games for Oklahoma City, Charlotte and Phoenix. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Bucks to trade Pat Connaughton to Charlotte Hornets
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Charles Lee Praises Kon Knueppel Fit After Hornets Draft Selection
Charles Lee Praises Kon Knueppel Fit After Hornets Draft Selection originally appeared on Athlon Sports. 'He Fits What We're Building': Charles Lee Raves About Kon Knueppel After Draft Pick The Hornets' coach believes Knueppel's competitive fire and elite shooting are exactly what Charlotte needs to take the next step. Advertisement When the Charlotte Hornets were on the clock with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, fans held their breath, would they gamble on raw upside or opt for reliability? Head coach Charles Lee left no room for doubt after the Hornets selected Duke sharpshooter Kon Knueppel. 'He's an amazing human being,' Lee spoke after the selection. 'He fits our culture that we continue to build here.' With top prospects like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe off the board early, many expected Charlotte to swing for a high-ceiling athlete like Ace Bailey. Instead, the Hornets zeroed in on a player they believe can contribute right away, both on the court and in the locker room. Advertisement 'We talk about consistent competitors,' Lee emphasized. 'We talk about being obsessed with daily improvement, and that's what Kon's about.' Knueppel, a 6-foot-5 small forward, brings instant offensive firepower to a Hornets roster desperate for perimeter shooting. Charlotte ranked 27th in three-point percentage last season, a glaring hole that Knueppel's 42.3% mark from deep at Duke is poised to help fix. His basketball IQ, off-ball movement, and pick-and-roll creation also give the team another layer of offensive flexibility. 'He's just one of the best shooters in the draft,' Lee said. 'He brings instant spacing to our team… and he just carries himself so well.' Beyond the stats, Lee made it clear this pick was about more than just numbers. It was about identity. Culture. And belief. Advertisement 'Looking forward to having him compete with our team,' Lee added. 'He's about competing. He took on the challenge of playing on the biggest stage and in some of the biggest pressure situations.' Kon Knueppel stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the fourth pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center.© Brad Penner-Imagn Images Knueppel joins a promising young core that includes LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. He may not be the most athletic player in the class, and scouts have noted his average wingspan and defensive limitations, but Charlotte is betting on his fit, skill, and maturity to raise the team's floor. And maybe, just maybe, Knueppel is the kind of stabilizing force that can shift the Hornets from rebuilding to contending. Advertisement If Charles Lee is right, Hornets fans won't just remember who they drafted at No. 4. They'll remember why. Related: Hornets Trade Mark Williams to Suns for Two First-Round Picks, per Report This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
E&E News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- E&E News
Environmental justice leader joins Howard Law School
Charles Lee, a trailblazer for the movement to aid marginalized communities overburdened by pollution, is joining one of the most prestigious historically Black universities in the country. Howard University School of Law is welcoming Lee as a visiting scholar for its environmental and climate justice center, the school announced Thursday. He will support work on the intersection of law, equity and environmental justice. Carlton Waterhouse, the center's director, said in a statement that Lee was 'foundational for advancing environmental justice.' Advertisement Lee was the lead author of 'Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States,' a 1987 groundbreaking report that showed how pollution disproportionately affected Black and Latino communities in the United States. Lee started at EPA in 1999 and held several jobs at the agency, including as director of its environmental justice office.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee talks first year coaching, goals for Year 2
Charlotte Hornets Head Coach Charles Lee dealt with many challenges during his first season as a head man in the NBA. ALSO READ: Brandon Miller talks rehab, Hornets future and giving back through youth basketball camp Advertisement Going into Year 2, Lee sat down with Channel 9's DaShawn Brown about what he expects next season. Below is an edited version of Brown's sit down with Lee. DaShawn Brown: Year two... How are you different as a coach now than when you walked in a year ago? Charles Lee: You know, last year at this time, I was going through a finals run with the Celtics, you're going back and forth; building a staff and spending time with players, which really important to me. And so I would say as a coach, I'm just continuing to try to find my voice, continue to carry out the vision that Jeff and I talked about for this organization and for this team. Despite what the record says -- there were moments where I saw so much growth and development Advertisement DB: Showing the guys those moments. Hey, this is how we've grown. What do you point to? CL: I think number one: our habits. I think the professional habits of this group really changed. To see the attention they pay on their bodies, number one. I think our competitiveness got better. For most of that season last year, we were middle of the pack with our defensive rating, and I think that's a testament to their overall commitment to each other, and to guarding DB: Starting with that 4th overall pick, what is the priority for this organization? CL: It's a combination of finding somebody that brings talent on the going to help us continue to thrive. And then off the court, we want to find somebody that continues to embody what we're about. A high-character person that loves the game, that's committed to improving themselves in every way possible, while also bringing their teammates along with them. Advertisement DB: Even now, going into this new year with the core group you have returning, LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Mark Williams, Miles Bridges, all of these guys - where do you look to take the next step collectively, now that you've had that time together? CL: I think it's consistency of availability. It's consistency of our effort and consistency of our overall togetherness. We got to see small spurts of what that group can do together, and it was pretty amazing. I thought for a while there, LaMelo's playing at an All-Star level, caliber player in our league. He was right there in the conversation -- I think Brandon Miller took another great step in Year two. Shooting a little bit more threes and changing his shot. Miles, I thought took a huge step in his leadership, his durability has always been there for us, but I think that he added more layers to his game. Mark. Dealing with all he went through throughout the year, when he returned back to our team, he had some games where I just thought that he's playing at a high level on both ends of the court. So when you put those four guys together, you add a first round draft pick, you add Tidjane getting better for another year, Moussa getting better, and we see what happens in free agency with some of our guys as well, I'm really excited about what's to come. DB: The injuries were something no one could control, but given that it happened, what do you think you were able to take from that, that made you better? CL: We definitely got stronger this year. Adversity is where you really truly grow, and I thought that our group found ways to continue to stay together, to continue to work, to continue to compete -- there was a no excuses mentality. We're not going to make excuses; we're just going to continue to make progress.** Advertisement DB: On your best day as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets, what happened? CL: One of the best moments we had this year, that San Antonio Spurs game at home. The crowd was unbelievable despite what our record was at that point. It was one of those moments where it just all came together. Number one, I was so excited to come to Charlotte. The city, the fan support, and you felt it in that moment. Our team. The way we banded together and put together a really good offensive and defensive night and then Miles finishes it off with a pass from Melo at the end of the game. You're always talking about your best players have to make the right play at the end of the game It really just brought everything full circle for me, from the fans to the team, the joy that I felt in that moment. DB: On the most challenging day, what happened, and what did it teach you? CL: There were some challenging days in year one. Thank God I have great people around me to help me get through those challenging days, but the thing I always struggle with sometimes is whenever I just feel like I'm letting the team down. When I'm letting the organization down. I have such respect and gratitude for everything our players are giving, that our coaching staff is giving—when we go through injuries that sometimes end people's seasons -- we don't win a close game and we're right there, I take a lot of that on personally, and I'm like how could I have been better?. My biggest goal is to continue to stay consistent, continue to stay positive, but I definitely take on and feel the pain of some of the injuries or some of the losses that go on because you don't want to let the team down, you don't want to let the city down. It's important to me as one of the leaders of the group to just not let them down. (WATCH BELOW: Brandon Miller talks rehab, Hornets future and giving back through youth basketball camp)
