Kon Knueppel Reportedly Has 'Real Chance' To Be Top-5 Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg may not be the only Duke player who lands in the top five of the 2025 NBA draft.
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor reported in his newest mock draft that Blue Devils wing Kon Knueppel has "a real chance" of going in the first five picks. He was the No. 4 pick to the Charlotte Hornets in O'Connor's mock.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report pegged him to go 10th to the Houston Rockets and wrote that "every team figures to have some level of interest in Kon Knueppel's shotmaking, efficient scoring and easy fit."
As a freshman, the Wisconsin native averaged 14.4 points per game and shot 40.6 percent from beyond the arc. His three-point shooting in particular is a skill that can seamlessly transfer to the next level.
That was a big reason why the Rockets took Reed Sheppard, a 52.1 percent three-point shooter at Kentucky, at No. 3 in the 2024 draft. Wasserman also compared Knueppel to Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson, who went a lot earlier than expected (No. 11) in 2019 thanks to his floor-spacing ability.
Flagg is head and shoulders above his peers in the 2025 draft class. Rutgers standouts Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are next on the list and probably in a tier by themselves.
Starting with the Hornets, there are a lot of different ways the lottery could unfold. Some teams that had playoff aspirations in 2024-25 find themselves in the top half of the first round as well, so they might be incentivized to take a prospect who can contribute right away.
It's certainly not unreasonable to think Knueppel will be an attractive target once Flagg, Bailey and Harper are all gone.
