The Charlotte Hornets have not had much to celebrate since they returned to pro basketball more than 20 years ago, but Sunday was a time for cheers as their prospects won the NBA Summer League title.
First-round pick Kon Knueppel scored 21 points, and second-round selection Ryan Kalkbrenner finished with 15 points – on 5-of-6 shooting – and nine rebounds in the 83-78 victory over the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas. Both players could have significant roles on a Hornets team that went just 19-63 last season across North Carolina sports betting.
BetCarolina.com wanted to know how winners of the Summer League fared in the ensuing NBA season.
Average Regular Season Win % | .506 |
Average Conference Rank | 8th |
Made Playoffs | 55.6% (5 of 9) |
Won Playoff Series | 22.2% (2 of 9) |
The average regular season winning percentage is skewed somewhat by the San Antonio Spurs, who went 67-15 after winning the 2015 Summer League. They are one of three teams that finished with records of .500 or better.
Recent history could give Hornets fans some hope. The last two champs, the 2023 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2024 Miami Heat, both made the playoffs after their Summer League successes. However, both of those teams had contributions from veteran players to lead them to the postseason. Charlotte would likely need Knueppel to play at a Rookie-of-the-Year level alongside fully healthy versions of both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller to get that far.
BetMGM North Carolina lists the former Duke star as the sixth choice on its futures board for the award. His odds are +2500. His former Blue Devils teammate and top overall pick, Cooper Flagg, is the favorite at -225.
Oddsmakers still have their doubts about the Hornets playing deep into April or later. At bet365, Charlotte is priced at +1200 to make the postseason for just the fourth time since coming back to the league and has odds of -3000 to miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season.
USA Today photo by Lucas Peltier.
Not necessarily. While it shows strong player development, most champions perform around league average in the regular season.
Just over half — 5 of the last 9 teams reached the postseason. The 2024 Heat didn’t make the traditional format playoffs but instead qualified for the first round through the Play-In Tournament.
Since 2015, the 2015 Spurs, who finished 67–15 and made the Western Conference Semifinals had the best NBA season after winning the Summer League.
Author
As a writer and analyst for BetCarolina.com, Steve not only covers gaming news and developments in North Carolina but also provides insights into what they mean for bettors, licensed operators and the state. A veteran journalist with 25 years of experience covering sports, politics and business, Steve has reported on the gambling industry intently over the past five years.
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