1 week Ago By Dan Treacy
Anyone who tuned into Duke's season opener against Maine for the Cooper Flagg show quickly noticed another standout freshman who seemingly couldn't miss. Kon Knueppel finished as the Blue Devils' leading scorer with 22 points, slowing down after a red hot start but still shooting 8-of-14 from the field in his collegiate debut. Days later, Knueppel again led Duke in scoring with 15 points in a 42-point win over Army.
Much tougher tests are coming for Flagg, Knueppel, and the new-look Blue Devils, from Kentucky in the Champions Classic to Arizona, Kansas, and Auburn in the next four weeks, but it's clear Duke is going to be much more balanced than some might have anticipated — and Knueppel's scoring ability is the biggest reason why. Here's a guide to pronouncing Knueppel's name, along with a closer look at his background. MORE: Cooper Flagg headlines SN Preseason All-America team Kon Knueppel pronunciation guide Knueppel is pronounced the best way it could possibly be pronounced: Kuh-nipple.
In case there was any doubt, the confirmation came straight from the source during Duke's preseason practices. "Kon Kuh-nipple, like the body part," Knueppel said, pointing to his chest, when asked by On3 how to pronounce his name in October. Kon Knueppel, how do you pronounce your name? pic.
twitter.com/qVTJ3kWb8B While Knueppel's heritage isn't publicly known, his surname is of German origin, according to Ancestry . The name is derived from a German word that serves as a "nickname for a peasant or a coarse man.
" Knueppel is no peasant on the basketball court. It's already clear he's going to be one of the focal points of a Duke team with championship expectations, and it will be worth watching whether continued strong play turns him into a premier NBA Draft prospect next to the projected No. 1 overall pick Flagg.
Where did Kon Knueppel go to high school? Knueppel attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wisc. The 19-year-old grew up in the Milwaukee area, and his family has a long basketball history in Wisconsin. Knueppel's father played at Wisconsin Luthern College, while his uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, played at Wisconsin-Green Bay and even appeared in 13 games with the Milwaukee Bucks.
No player from Wisconsin Lutheran High School has ever reached the NBA, though the school did produce longtime NFL guard Kevin Zeitler. MORE: SN's preseason top 25 college basketball rankings Kon Knueppel recruiting ranking Knueppel was just one piece of a loaded Duke recruiting class this year, and he certainly wasn't the headliner. That designation belonged to Flagg, who was the consensus No.
1 overall player and remains the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2025 NBA Draft. Knueppel was the No.
18 player in the 2024 class, according to 247 Sports , also trailing Duke's Khaman Malauch and Isaiah Evans. Malauch started each of the Blue Devils' first two games, impressing with 14 rebounds against Army, while Evans has had a much smaller role with only 15 minutes played between the two games. The 19-year-old Knueppel has outperformed expectations, albeit in games in which Duke was a massive favorite.
If Knueppel can keep scoring at a high rate against Kentucky and other brand-name opponents, he's going to rewrite the rankings that had him fourth in the Blue Devils' recruiting class..
