Former top Wisconsin basketball recruit leading Duke on deep NCAA Tournament run
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native Kon Knueppel is quickly building a national profile.
The true freshman and former five-star recruit was a driving force behind Duke’s 100-93 Sweet 16 win over Arizona on Thursday night, tallying 20 points, four rebounds and three assists on 5-of-7 shooting, 2-of-2 from 3 and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line.
Despite playing in the shadow of likely No. 1 overall NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg, Knueppel is emerging as one of the best players in the sport, helping to lead Duke on a deep tournament run.
The Wisconsin connection: Knueppel was the state’s No. 1 recruit in the class of 2024, also ranked as the No. 18 player in the country and No. 5 small forward. The Badgers were in serious contention to land his commitment up until the very end of his recruiting process — they, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Virginia Cavaliers each hosted the top prospect on an official visit in the week before his commitment to the Blue Devils on Sept. 21, 2023.
Knueppel has gone on to start all 37 games for Duke this season, averaging 30.2 minutes, 14.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and one steal while shooting 48% from the floor and 40% from 3. He and junior guard Tyrese Proctor (12.4 points, three rebounds, 2.3 assists) have emerged as key complementary pieces behind Flagg — the AP Player of the Year.
Knueppel now has 38 points in Duke’s three NCAA Tournament wins. The Arizona game was by far his best performance after tallying 12 and six points in first-weekend wins over Baylor and Mount St. Mary’s, respectively.
Kon is the eldest of five brothers. The second-oldest, Kager, is currently a sophomore at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Toledo is his one offer at this early stage in the recruiting process, though Rivals does list the Badgers among his other ‘interests.’
Wisconsin fans may become familiar with the Knueppel name in future recruiting cycles, or as Kon Knueppel continues to lead Duke on a deep tournament run before becoming a top-10 in the upcoming NBA draft.
