Inside the Hornets’ event at The Casey by Beau Monde, fans in teal jerseys packed into the venue, with face-painting stations, food trucks parked and Hornets forward Kon Knueppel joining the crowd as excitement built ahead of the team’s draft selections.
“The vibe of the Hornets, and the excitement, is really really cool,” Knueppel said. “I’m excited for that, the other players are, and hopefully the new players coming in will be as well.”
The Hornets are hoping to build on their first postseason appearance in a decade.
Chants of “Let’s go Hornets!” broke out when Charlotte used its first two-round picks to select Hannes Steinbach from the University of Washington and Christian Anderson Jr. from Texas Tech. The draft picks bring together two players who previously competed for Germany at the 2025 FIBA Under-19 World Cup.
Jeff Peterson, president of Hornets’ basketball operations, said the team is focused on drafting players who bring more than talent to the roster.
“They’re still young,” Peterson said. “They’re going to continue to get better because they’re about the right things. “They work. They put the time in. They wanna be great.”
Steinbach and Anderson Jr. are expected to arrive in Charlotte on Wednesday, and Knueppel said their lives are about to become a whirlwind as they begin the next chapter of their careers.
