The 2025 NBA Draft offers an incredibly deep class of prospects, especially Duke SG Kon Knueppel, who could join his teammate Cooper Flagg as a top-ten pick on Wednesday night.
Behind Flagg, Knueppel was a prominent part of a Duke offense that reached the Final Four, and he can potentially transfer that to the next level.
We will break down everything you need to know about Kon Knueppel in the NBA Draft in his scouting report below, including his draft pick projection, stats, combine performance, a NBA player comparison, and more.
Kon Knueppel College Stats
Knueppel played one season in Division I at Duke. These are Knueppel's college stats:
- 39 Games
- 14.4 Points Per Game
- 4.0 Rebounds Per Game
- 2.7 Assists Per Game
- 47.9 FG%
Most notably, Knueppel was efficient from 3-point range, which is the main reason teams will look to draft him. Knueppel took more than 50% of his shot from three-point range, and shot 40.6% on those shots, averaging 2.2 made threes per game.
Kon Knueppel Combine Results
Knueppel participated in the NBA Combine, and here are those results and measurements.
- Height: 6 feet, 5 inches
- Weight: 219 pounds
- Hand Length: 8.5 inches
- Hand Width: 9.75 inches
- Wingspan: 6 feet, 6 1/4 inches
- Standing Reach: 8 feet, 5 1/2 inches
- Standing Vertical Jump: 31.5 Inches
Kon Knueppel Game To Watch
March 27, 2025 vs. Arizona (Sweet 16)
This was one of the more efficient games Knueppel had in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He went 5-of-7 from the floor, which included 2-of-2 from the 3-point range. More importantly, he made some key plays at the end of a close game, including clutch free throws to pull off the 100-93 win.
Kon Knueppel: 2025 Scouting Report
Below, find Kon Knueppel's strength and weaknesses in his full NBA Draft scouting report.
Strengths
Here are the strengths of Duke PG Kon Knueppel for the 2025 NBA Draft.
- Knueppel is someone you can confidently give the ball to in an opportunity where you need a basket. He can hit in multiple scenarios, including the catch-and-shoot or playing off the screen.
- This is all thanks to Kueppel's compact and fundamentally sound shot.
- Knueppel shows off his high basketball IQ, is intuitive in certain situations, and knows how to avoid being picked off or turn the ball over.
- That also goes with his shot selection, and he will easily pass the ball if he knows he doesn’t have a high-percentage shooting opportunity.
- Although he doesn’t pass that much, he’s someone who still knows how to set up a scoring opportunity that includes making a pass to the best scoring option. He can pass through traffic or kick it out to an open man.
Weaknesses
Here are the strengths of Knueppel for the 2025 NBA Draft.
- Knueppel isn’t athletic for a top five pick, and lacks some explosiveness in the open court.
- This gives him problems when guarding above-average ball handlers with quickness to the basket.
- It will be difficult for Knueppel to defend against most guards, especially at the one position. He will also struggle against bigger wings because he doesn’t have the size to get physical with those types of players.
- With only a 6 feet, 6 ¼ inch wingspan, that is slightly undersized for someone who will face contested shots from the wing. He could struggle to get the vertical advantage against an average-sized wing defender.
Kon Knueppel NBA Comparison: Klay Thompson
Knueppel could take on the role that Thompson has had his entire career as a shooting specialist. Thompson is a shooter that coaches show tape of; he possesses textbook fundamentals for a quick and compact shot with an efficient release point. Thompson has the ability to catch-and-shoot, but also plays off the screens.
As time goes on and he builds his resume, like Thompson, Knueppel will develop a reputation as a high-percentage shooter that teams are confident in giving the ball to in big situations.
Beyond his shot efficiency, he knows how to set up teammates and faciliatate as needed, which wasn't always Thompson's strength.
Kon Knueppel NBA Draft Projection
Most experts have Knueppel being a lottery pick, and possibly inside the top ten. It's possible he could even go in the top five. He’s mature beyond his years and could adapt quickly to the NBA thanks to his IQ.
With Knueppel potentially going high in the draft, it is likely he will be selected by a below-average team looking to rebuild. He is already a polished shooter and will need very little coaching as he establishes himself, which will help the overall team develop quicker.
What keeps him from going inside the top five is a lack of versatility, athleticism, and defensive prowess, but that could develop over time.
Make NBA Predictions PrizePicks
The NBA Draft introduces you to the future superstars of the league, including Kon Knueppel, who was overshadowed at Duke, but could contribute for an NBA team from the jump.
After the Draft, you can make predictions on 2025 player projections in the NBA SZN game on PrizePicks, including rookies like Knueppel. NBA SZN is the easiest way to get real money action on your 2025-26 NBA fantasy basketball predictions by picking More or Less on stats like points, assists, rebounds, and more.
Check out the Playbook daily for more NBA DFS picks and analysis for PrizePicks.
