Introduction: In every basketball game, there's always that one player who stands out. He's the one who moves without the ball, hits open shots, dives on the court, and never complains. You're halfway through the game and you're annoyed by how he keeps setting screens, but simultaneously impressed by how he hasn't missed a single shot or made a single mistake. That's Kon Knueppel, the projected 2025 NBA Draft lottery pick who averaged 14.4 points as a Duke freshman, had twice as many assists (107) as turnovers (53), and shot 43.3% on catch-and-shoot 3s.
Knueppel's Journey: Knueppel grew up in a basketball-obsessed family in Wisconsin, where he won a state title with his brother and cousin. He then went to Duke, where he immediately became a freshman his coach could trust. Despite his impressive stats, Knueppel doesn't hunt for stepbacks or viral dunks. Instead, he's the type who does the hard stuff without demanding the spotlight. "I love how Klay [Thompson] played," Knueppel said on my podcast at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. "He's so efficient with his movement. He's shooting the ball the same. Even if his feet aren't facing the right way, his shoulders are." That's the blueprint for Knueppel's game: clean mechanics, disciplined movement, and two-way effort.
Knueppel's Mindset: Knueppel's mindset showed up in March when he dropped 20 in the Sweet 16 and 21 in the Elite 8. But in the Final Four, despite scoring 16, he was on the floor when Duke coughed up a 14-point, second-half lead and blew its shot at a national title. The loss hurt, but not because it ruined his draft stock. Instead, he got back to work, using that loss as fuel to improve. "There's lows in life," Knueppel said. "It's just a basketball game at the end of the day, but really it’s something you put a lot of time into for a whole year with a bunch of good people. So, how do you respond to that? That’s what I’ve been doing this offseason. Just getting better."
Knueppel's Improvement: After the season ended, Knueppel was back in the gym and the film room, finding ways to get better. "I’m working on my conditioning, getting the best shape I can be," Knueppel said. "And then just off-the-bounce shooting creation. Being able to create a little more separation, I think that's something I need to get better at." Knueppel is determined to add more layers to his scoring and improve his dribble-jumper 3-point shooting, which he acknowledges is an area for improvement. "I wasn't really comfortable shooting those," Knueppel said. "I didn’t shoot a ton of them in high school. So I've just got to get reps, get better at it, and get more comfortable."
Knueppel's Potential: Everyone knows he can shoot. But he's a potential top-10 or even top-five pick because of the idea of what he could be if he adds even more layers to his scoring. Knueppel is already an efficient and disciplined player with a strong mindset and a willingness to improve. With continued hard work and dedication, he has the potential to become one of the top players in the NBA.
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