DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – A superstar on the hardwood for the Duke men’s basketball team last season is now taking his game to the next level.
Blue Devils freshman Kon Knueppel is forgoing the remainder of his college career and declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft, he announced through social media on Wednesday.
“Forever a Blue Devil,” Knueppel wrote. “Taking the Brotherhood with me to the next chapter.”
Knueppel left quite the impression in his lone year in Durham, averaging 14.4 points per game on 47.9% shooting from the field and 40.6% behind the 3-point line and and 91.4% from the foul line. His play on the court led to him receiving the All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team honors.
Knueppel stepped up in a big way this postseason for the Blue Devils, especially when Cooper Flagg went down with an ankle injury during the ACC Tournament. He spearheaded the Blue Devils to the league championship in Charlotte, resulting in him winning the ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Knueppel is the first member of Duke’s touted freshman class to go pro and he’s widely projected as a lottery pick, according to AP.
“He’s a guy that is really about competition,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in social-media video posted by the program Wednesday. “He never shied away from the competitive plays that have to be made in order to win at a high level.”
Knueppel is an efficient, floor-spacing scorer who typically played a wingman role to Flagg, thriving in the forefront when Flagg was injured during the ACC Tournament, scoring 28 points against Georgia Tech, 17 against rival North Carolina and 18 against Louisville as the Blue Devils won a second title in Scheyer’s three seasons.
Knueppel is only the eighth freshman to win MVP honors at the ACC Tournament.
The Milwaukee native closed with 16 points in a loss to Houston in the national semifinals. His free throw with 1:14 left marked Duke’s final point as the Blue Devils faltered late with the Cougars rallying with the game’s last nine points in the final 33 seconds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.