Last month, Jon Scheyer’s contract was extended by the Duke Blue Devils through the 2031 season. The deal followed his hard work with the squad throughout his three seasons. Scheyer’s No. 6 Duke is now looking to boost its winning record in Tuesday’s game against the unranked Texas Longhorns at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center.
Meanwhile, his charisma also continues to draw admiration from top coaches, most recently from NBA coach Charles Lee.
Jon Scheyer Gets Nod of Appreciation From Hornets HC Charles Lee
In the Hornets’ Sunday night’s 126-103 win over the Utah Jazz, former Duke stars Sion James and Kon Knueppel shone at the Spectrum Center by recording career-high scoring performances.
Knueppel finished with 24 points, six rebounds, and five assists on 9-of-17 shooting, including 4-of-9 from three. The crowd gave him a standing ovation as he exited with nearly two minutes left, with the Hornets leading by 25. Meanwhile, James contributed 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Following the win, Lee praised both rookies, as well as their college coach, Scheyer.
“Coach Scheyer must be on the staff,” Lee said. “He did such a heck of a job of laying a foundation with those guys. I owe him a lot, but they understand how to play basketball. They understand not to overdo it, to kind of just, whatever you practice and whatever the team needs, that’s what we’re gonna do in the game.”
“And just because you get in front of a crowd or in front of a different defense, they’re not gonna change. And I love that about them. Both of them are just about team basketball and winning.”
The win snapped the Hornets’ three-game losing streak and pointed towards progress in their patient rebuild ahead of Tuesday’s road game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Knueppel is averaging 14 points per game with a 43.1% three-point shooting rate through his first six games, while James is shooting 72.2% (13 of 18 attempts).
Last year, Knueppel and James were teammates at Duke. James initially spent four seasons at Tulane before transferring and provided defensive leadership, averaging 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 25.5 minutes per game. He was selected 33rd overall by the Hornets in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Meanwhile, Knueppel earned recognition for his shooting and overall offensive skills during his single season with Duke, earning him multiple honors, including ACC All-Rookie and ACC Tournament MVP, before declaring for the draft. He declined his remaining college eligibility and was drafted No. 4 overall by the Hornets in the 2025 Draft.