Once Overlooked, Now a Top Pick: Kon Knueppel’s Rise Could Redefine Duke Recruiting
Former Duke standout Kon Knueppel heard his name called early at the 2025 NBA Draft, going No. 4 overall to the Charlotte Hornets. He joined fellow Blue Devils Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach in the top ten, making Duke the only program with three lottery picks this year. But while Flagg and Maluach were long considered top-tier NBA prospects, it’s Knueppel’s meteoric rise that may echo loudest in Durham for years to come.
When Knueppel arrived at Duke, few expected him to become a top-five draft pick. The Wisconsin native was ranked just 18th nationally and was the fourth-highest-rated player in Duke’s own recruiting class, behind Flagg (No. 1), Maluach (No. 4), and Isaiah Evans (No. 13), per the 247Sports Composite. All were five-star prospects, but Knueppel wasn’t seen as the headliner.
That changed quickly.
Throughout the summer and into the early season, the 6’7” wing began turning heads with his versatility and polish. As the season progressed, it became clear Knueppel wasn’t just a complementary piece—he was a future pro. He emerged as Duke’s second-most productive freshman behind Flagg and played a pivotal role in guiding the Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament title and a Final Four berth.
His defining moment came when Flagg went down with an injury in Duke’s opening ACC Tournament game against Georgia Tech. With the team’s star sidelined, Knueppel rose to the occasion, stepping into the lead role and powering Duke to a conference championship. He earned ACC Tournament MVP honors, a performance that sent his draft stock soaring.
Knueppel finished his lone season at Duke averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting an efficient 47.9% from the field and a blistering 40.6% from beyond the arc.
Now, his story is already making waves in recruiting circles.
Under Jon Scheyer, Duke has landed the No. 1 recruiting class in two of the last three years. But Knueppel’s rise—proof that you don’t need to be the top-ranked recruit to become a top-five pick—could be the most powerful recruiting pitch of all. He’s shown that at Duke, under Scheyer’s development, overlooked players can become stars, and stars can become pros.
For the next wave of high school prospects, Knueppel’s journey could be a game-changer.
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