Duke's Kon Knueppel Misses NBA Draft Combine Testing, Drills Due to Ankle Injury

Duke guard and potential lottery pick Kon Knueppel did not participate in Tuesday's athletic tests or shooting drills at the NBA Draft Combine due to an ankle injury, his agent Mark Bartelstein told ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

“Kon sprained his ankle three weeks ago and is not all the way back yet,” Bartelstein told Givony. “He’s at 85 percent now and we want him at 100 percent. He’s really close."

Bartelstein said he was hopeful Knueppel could return in time for Friday's Pro Day.

Givony noted that Knueppel will be required to complete the athletic tests and shooting drills at an NBA facility. A rule change put in place by the NBA and NBA Players' Association in 2024 states that players need to undergo testing in order to be eligible for the draft.

That adjustment increased the importance of the draft combine, which top prospects had previously skipped or only partially participated in.

Knueppel did receive official measurements in earlier in the combine. He clocked in at 6-foot-5 barefoot and 219 pounds, with a 6'6.25" wingspan and 8'5.5" standing reach, per Givony.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman predicts Knueppel will go to the Houston Rockets with the No. 10 pick.

NBA analyst Zach Buckley wrote for Bleacher Report that Knueppel could potentially earn more playing time than Reed Sheppard, who averaged 12.6 minutes mostly off the bench in his first season after being selected with the No. 3 pick of the 2024 draft.

"Knueppel already boasts an NBA-ready blend of size and shooting, and with his advanced feel, he should be able to contribute to a winning team right now—provided he can hold his own defending in space," Buckley wrote.

Buckley also described Knueppel's technique as a "consistent shooting stroke that could mesmerize during predraft workouts." It remains to be seen if not being able to see that shooting in action at the combine will impact Knueppel's status ahead of the June 25 draft.

Knueppel averaged 14.4 points on 47.9 percent shooting from the field and 40.6 percent shooting from deep in 39 starts during his freshman season at Duke. He could be joined by his former teammates, prospective top pick Cooper Flagg and center Khaman Maluach, in the first round of the upcoming draft.