Before the 2025NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for theSixers at Nos. 3 and 35. Next up in this series is Duke’s Kon Knueppel.
Duke star Kon Knueppel is universally viewed as one of the safest picks in the 2025 NBA Draft due to his elite shooting, high level feel for the game, connectivity, and secondary playmaking.
But limiting him just to that would be a misjudgment of his overall skill level which leaves plenty of room and projectability for him to develop into a potential star. It also makes him a top-five prospect in this class.
Profile
Stats (PER 40 Min):
19.0 PPG
5.2 REB
3.6 AST
1.3 STL
47.9% FG
64.2 TS%
40.6% 3PT (7.0 3PA)
Team: Duke
Year: Freshman
Position: Shooting Guard-Small Forward
Height: 6’6
Weight: 219 lbs
Wingspan: 6’6 1/4
Born: August 3, 2005 (19 years old)
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Strengths
Shooting
Knueppel is one of the very best shooters in this class. Knueppel has textbook mechanics, a quick release, and tremendous consistency in his shot process whether it be his footwork, shot prep, or elevation. The consistency in his form and the effortlessness to which he is almost robotic in his process is reminiscent of Klay Thompson.
Let's take a dive into the numbers.
40.6% from threes (84-for-207)
43.3% Catch-and-Shoot threes (77-for-178)
42.9% guarded Catch-and-Shoot threes (36-for-84)
43.6% unguarded Catch-and-Shoot threes (41-for-94)
38.6% threes off screens (17-for-44)
39.4% transition threes (13-for-33)
I would expect Kon’s volume of threes to increase even more at the next level, especially his number of attempts off screens as teams look to scheme him open more and leverage his shooting as a key part of their offense. More transition opportunities will also surely be a part of Kon’s increased shot diet from three as well as off-the-dribble attempts which were few in his lone year at Duke.
Kon Knueppel vs Georgia Tech
28 Points
8 Assist
5 Rebounds
2 Steals
2 Blocks
7-14 FG
12-13 FT
His ability to scale up is very clear and apparent. Extremely crafty as a scorer and playmaker. Self creation ability is real.
pic.twitter.com/D8sMBiR7Sl
— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) May 15, 2025
Overall Scoring/Shot making
Knueppel, while most known for his shooting — and for good reason — has a very deep scoring arsenal with the ability to punish defenses from all three levels. He was one of the most efficient offensive players in the country to the tune of 1.21 PPS (points per shot) on all shots and 1.14 PPP (points per possession) overall. Knueppel graded out in the 98th percentile as a spot up scorer, per Synergy.
On the ball Knueppel, uses his size, handle, strength, change of pace, high-level footwork, and touch to get to the rim and finish, punish mismatches in the post, and get to his spots in pick-and-roll. Knueppel finished a robust 62.1% of his rim attempts in the halfcourt while posting a 31.4% rim frequency. He has a veteran savvy and craft to his game well beyond his years and is very adept at playing off two feet in the paint, using subtle bumps and shot fakes to create space and angles to get his shots off.
Let's look at the numbers:
62.3% at the rim
62.1 at the rim in half court (59-for-95)
56.7% from two (97-for-171)
46.7% Pick and Roll twos (21-for-45)
The on ball and creation juice from Kon Knueppel is getting severely underrated by many. Not flashy but he is strong and knows how to use his body, excellent footwork and knows how to utilize subtle bumps and fades to create separation, has oustanding touch, no wasted movement… https://t.co/BXIbNf2EgL
— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) May 15, 2025
Kon Knueppel vs UNC
22 Points
5 Assist
5 Rebounds
2 Steals
1 Block
7-11 FG
2-3 3pt
6-7 FT
Punishing mismatches in the post. Scoring and playmaking out of pick and roll. Live dribble skip pass to shooters. Drawing fouls. Shooting. A lot of his offensive repertoire on display pic.twitter.com/wS9rPDXZ7x
— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) May 15, 2025
Playmaking/Processing
Knueppel is a high-level passer who is very adept at playing out of pick-and-rolls. He posted a 1.98 Assist/Turnover ratio to go along with a 15.7% assist rate in his freshman season. While Knueppel is not going to “wow” anybody with his explosiveness or foot speed he plays the game at a very fast pace from a processing and decision-making standpoint. There is little wasted motion in his game and it’s astounding how often he is on time and on target with his passes and his pace.
Knueppel often either attacks, shoots, or gets the ball out of his hand before the defense has a chance to react to the movement. The best way I can describe it is he seems to always be just a step ahead and that's a trait only seen in some of the truly special high feel guys in the world and the kind of trait you always want on your side.
Defense
Knueppel used his size, strength, and anticipation to be a legitimately impactful defender at the college level. Knueppel is an outstanding off ball defender as well who almost always rotates in a timely manner, walls up, deflects a decent number of passes despite his subpar length, and finds himself in the right spots. He posted some impressive individual defensive statistics as well.
- 30.7% All FGA Against (85/277)
- 33.7% C&S against (33/98)
- 24.5% OTD Jumpers against (23/94)
- 31.8% Around the Rim against (14/44)
Areas of Concern
Physical + Athletic Tools
Knueppel boasts just average length and height for his position standing at 6-foot-6 in shoes with just a 6-foot-6 1⁄4 wingspan. The lack of length combined with his lack of vertical pop (only 2 dunks on the season) can bring in questions about his ability to consistently translate his finishing ability and self-creation. While I believe that the overall craft and skill level will mitigate those concerns, it is a valid question mark as he will be going against the biggest and best athletes in the world on a nightly basis.
It also poses questions about his ability to guard the ball at the next level as wings are typically much bigger than him and he does not have above average footspeed often needed to defend guards. The IQ, feel, strength, and anticipation are reasons for optimism and, while I do not think he will be a liability due to these baseline attributes, it's reasonable to question how much his defensive impact will fall off at the NBA level defending some of the best scorers and shot makers in the world.
Pull up shooting
While the sample size was very small, Knueppel struggled to find success as a pull up jump shooter in his lone season as a Blue Devil knocking down just 25% of his total pull up jumpers throughout the season. The pre-college sample for Knueppel as a pull up shooter leaves plenty of room for optimism as he was a lethal pull up shooter in both high school and AAU play with Phenom University where he led the Nike EYBL in scoring. If the pull up shooting warts at Duke do end up carrying over into his NBA career it would limit Knueppel’s ability as an on-ball scorer and in turn would limit his upside as a guy that can be relied on to be one of your go-to options on offense.
Overall
When Cooper Flagg was out in the NCAA tournament with an injury, the Blue Devils turned to Kon Knueppel to be their go-to guy and he more than delivered. He carried Duke to an ACC tournament championship while averaging 21 points, six rebounds and five assists over the three games. Knueppel consistently displayed his ability to scale up in lineups when Flagg was on the bench and did it again in the ACC tournament where he was named ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Displaying the ability to be a legitimate offensive engine just as he was when he dominated the Nike EYBL.
Knueppel’s ability to fit into any lineup and make his impact felt in whichever role he is asked to play makes him a fit on any team. Throughout this process I haven’t been able to help but make the lofty comparisons to the likes of Klay Thompson and Devin Booker. He is much more than just a shooter; he is a winning player who plays with maximum effort and attention at all times known for his maniacal work ethic and desire to be great. Knueppel will play for a very long time and will contribute to winning in this league and the upside is more than just spot up shooter. The ceiling is an All-Star and All-NBA caliber player. The intersection of his high floor and extremely underrated ceiling make him a top-five prospect in this class and one that the Sixers should be heavily consider as their primary target in this year's draft.
Last year my pick for the “false ceiling” guy was Jared McCain. This year it’s Kon Knueppel. A lot of times people overrate raw athleticism when discussing somebody’s ceiling/upside while underrating projectable translatable skills, creation ability, and scalability
— Will Rucker (@Will_Rucker3_AD) May 15, 2025
Draft Projection
SB Nation mock draft: No. 3, Philadelphia 76ers