Kon Knueppel

Kon II Knueppel
No. 7 – Duke Blue Devils
PositionShooting guard / small forward
LeagueAtlantic Coast Conference
Personal information
Born (2005-08-03) August 3, 2005 (age 19)
Listed height6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight217 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolWisconsin Lutheran
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
CollegeDuke (2024–present)
Career highlights and awards

Kon II Knueppel is an American college basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Early life and high school

Knueppel grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School.[1] He averaged 10.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game during his freshman season with the Wisconsin Lutheran Vikings.[2] Knueppel averaged 19.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game as a junior.[3] As a senior, he averaged 26.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game during the regular season and was named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball.[4] He helped Wisconsin Lutheran win the 2024 Boys Basketball Division 2 State Championship against Pewaukee and finish the season with a 30-0 record.[5][6]

Recruiting

Knueppel was one of the top players in the 2024 class, according to major recruiting services.[7][8] He committed to play college basketball at Duke over offers from Alabama, Virginia, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Marquette, and USC among others.[9][10] Knueppel signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Blue Devils on November 15, 2023, during the early signing period.[11]

College career

Knueppel enrolled at Duke University in June 2024 in order to take part in the Blue Devils' summer practices.[12] He made his college basketball debut during Duke's season opener against Maine on November 4, 2024, and scored 22 points with four rebounds in a 96-62 win.[13]

Personal life

Knueppel is a Christian.[14] He went to grade school and attends church at St. John’s Lutheran in Wauwatosa, WI.[15]

Knueppel's father, Kon, played college basketball at Wisconsin Lutheran College and was the school's all-time leading scorer until 2019.[16] His father and his uncles Klint, Klay, and Kole competed in the Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament as a team named the “Flying Knueppel Brothers”.[17] Knueppel's mother, Chari (née Nordgaard), played at Wisconsin-Green Bay and is the school's leading scorer.[18] Knueppel's uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, also played at Wisconsin-Green Bay and played in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks and professionally in Europe.[19]

References

  1. ^ "Zach Kinziger hopes he can lure Kon Knueppel to Wisconsin". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. August 5, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  2. ^ "Recruit updates on Wisconsin 2024 guards Kon Knueppel, Nick Janowski". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. October 21, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  3. ^ "Kon Knueppel patiently evaluating his basketball suitors". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. June 11, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  4. ^ "Wisconsin Lutheran Duke commit Kon Knueppel named Mr. Basketball WBCA". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  5. ^ "2024 Boys Basketball Perfect Season". Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  6. ^ Knapinski, Dick. "Wisconsin Lutheran finishes perfect season with Division 2 championship against Pewaukee". WSN. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Newton, Matt (July 14, 2023). "Five-Star Recruit Kon Knueppel Schedules Second Official Visit to Virginia". SI.com. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  8. ^ "What Kon Knueppel brings to Duke basketball's 2024 recruiting class". The Fayetteville Observer. September 21, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  9. ^ Borzello, Jeff (September 21, 2023). "No. 22 recruit Kon Knueppel commits to Duke basketball". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  10. ^ Marks, Brendan; Bass, Tobias (September 21, 2023). "Duke lands commitment from 5-star wing Kon Knueppel: What this means for Blue Devils". The Athletic. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  11. ^ "Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer discusses Cooper Flagg, 2024 recruiting class". The Fayetteville Observer. November 16, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  12. ^ Giles, Matt (July 4, 2024). "Duke Basketball Freshman Catches Fire During Practice". SI.com. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  13. ^ DeCock, Luke (November 4, 2024). "Kon Knueppel steals the show from Connor Flagg in Duke debut". The News & Observer. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  14. ^ Graf, Travis. "Four-star Kon Knueppel evaluating all of his options". Rivals. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "Viking Christian Leaders: Humility". Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  16. ^ Allan, Lance (February 6, 2023). "Wisconsin Lutheran basketball star upholds his family name as 15 schools hope to recruit him". TMJ4.com. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  17. ^ Strang, Katie (August 12, 2018). ""It's like a basketball family out there" — an oral history of the Gus Macker tournament". The Athletic. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  18. ^ "Wisconsin Lutheran's Kon Knueppel, a DI basketball recruit, is guided by parents who were stars as well". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. December 9, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  19. ^ "Watching the son rise". Wisconsin State Journal. August 29, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.