Executing the "Kon Job": Knueppel’s Art of the Last-Second Dime

The Hornets rookie already has his own signature skill

Kon Knueppel left Las Vegas with a championship ring, a Finals MVP, and something even more intriguing: a move that might already define his game. He hasn’t played a regular-season NBA minute, but his ability to manipulate defenses is turning heads.

Once Knueppel gets into the paint, he has a full bag—floaters, crossovers, fadeaways, drop-offs. But the most impressive trick might be what I’m calling the ‘Kon Job’: a deceptive fake floater or pull-up that turns, at the last moment, into a dart of a pass for an easy bucket. Think of it as a quarterback pump fake followed by a touchdown toss.

I’ve broken down a few examples below. Apologies for the low video quality—Summer League clips aren’t accessible to download, and League Pass blocks screen recording, so I had to film my monitor. (And yes, that’s The Open playing in the background. My bad.)

Play 1: Two Defenders, One Dunk

This is my favorite clip. Watch how Knueppel uses his footwork and body control to bait two defenders into a collision. Both step up, expecting a shot, and end up clattering into each other, leaving PJ Hall wide open for the dunk.

Knueppel “Kons” the defense into thinking he’s going up for a shot. It's the subtle sell— the rise, the pause, the eyes locked on the rim — that freezes everyone just long enough to spring his teammate free.