Former Wisconsin Lutheran star basketball player Kon Knueppel announced Wednesday he is entering the NBA draft.
Knueppel was Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball in 2024 while leading Wisconsin Lutheran to a 30-0 record and the first of back-to-back WIAA state championships.
Knueppel attended Duke University this season, where he was the team’s second-leading scorer behind national player of the year Cooper Flagg. Knueppel was named to the ACC all-freshman team and the all-ACC second team.
He also won ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player, leading Duke to a conference title while Flagg recovered from a late-season ankle injury.
Knueppel gained national attention during the NCAA tournament. He dove for loose balls, fought for rebounds, and hit timely three-point shots to help propel Duke to the Final Four.
NBADraft.net projects Knueppel as the 9th overall pick in the NBA draft calling Knueppel “one of the most skilled and mentally tough prospects in the 2025 NBA draft,” and comparing him to Chris Mullin, who is in the Hall of Fame and was a member of the original Dream Team.
Knueppel shot nearly 41% from the three-point line while at Duke and possesses steady ball-handling skills. He competed hard on defense and formed an effective screen-and-lob tandem with Duke center Khaman Maluach.
“What a magical ride for not only the Knueppel family but especially for Kon,” Ryan Walz, head coach of Wisconsin Lutheran, told Madison365. “He has unlimited opportunities continuing to open up for him and is treading ground no one else from around here has.”
Knueppel, from Milwaukee, is the oldest of three brothers who have won state championships with Wisconsin Lutheran over the past two years. His parents, Kon Knueppel and Chari Nordgaard Knueppel, both had storied basketball careers as well.
Chari remains the all-time leading scorer for UW-Green Bay and Kon scored more than 2,000 career points at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
“My husband and I are sad to see Kon’s time at Duke conclude, but we are excited for the next adventure,” Nordgaard Knueppel told Madison365. “We are beyond proud of the hard work Konny has put in to get to this point.”
The 2025 NBA draft takes place on June 25.
