Cooper Flagg’s teammate is second best player in NBA draft and comes from family of hoopers including ex-Bucks star
Cooper Flagg is already a household name. However, Kon Knueppel is more than just Flagg’s teammate on the Duke Blue Devils. Knueppel, left, has been one of Duke’s standout performersGetty Understandably, Flagg generates all the headlines and attention as a presumptive No.1 pick in the NBA draft world. However, his fellow freshman teammate is also a certified hooper. Knueppel was a five-star prospect out of Wisconsin Lutheran High School and ranked No. 16 nationally by 247Sports and No. 22 by ESPN. He was no slouch coming into Durham and his freshman year campaign proved it. Knueppel averaged 14.4, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists on a Duke team that earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament, winning both the ACC regular season title and conference tournament title. Duke plays Houston on Saturday in the NCAA men’s tournament semifinals. “Coach (Jon) Scheyer has done a tremendous job, along with his staff, of evaluating players that play the style he wants to play,” Houston assistant coach K.C. Beard exclusively told talkSPORT. “They’re so unselfish. You don’t see a lot of guys that take selfish shots, and that’s obviously refreshing in today’s college basketball. That’s going to certainly be a challenge for us.” While Flagg went down with an ankle injury early in the ACC tournament, Knueppel and the rest of the Blue Devils picked up the slack and brought home another conference title to Durham. Now their eyes are on the ultimate goal — the national championship. Flagg and Knueppel have formed one of college basketball’s most dominant duosGetty Knueppel is projected to be a lottery pickGetty If Duke wants to win its sixth national title in school history, Knueppel is must have a strong tournament. Luckily for Duke, hooping is in Knueppel’s blood. His uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, had a short stint with the Milwaukee Bucks and played professionally in Europe for nearly a decade. His father played at Wisconsin Lutheran College where he was the school’s all-time leading scorer up until 2019. March Madness Top Stories Ranking the greatest players in NCAA men’s March Madness history – from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson ‘This sister is special’ – Stephen A. Smith identifies rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dominance March Madness legends who are still balling in NBA today – from Steph Curry to Ja Morant NCAA March Madness is bigger and better than the College Football Playoff – the springtime phenomenon is bigger than ever Biggest March Madness upsets in history of NCAA Tournament – top seeds humiliated as small schools enjoy their moment In other words, Knueppel was born with a basketball in his hand. While Flagg is expected to be the first pick in the NBA draft, Knueppel won’t be that far behind him. The 6′ 7″ guard is projected to be a lottery pick. And if everything goes according to plan, both Flagg and Knueppel will head to the Association as national champions.
Cooper Flagg is already a household name.
However, Kon Knueppel is more than just Flagg’s teammate on the Duke Blue Devils.
Understandably, Flagg generates all the headlines and attention as a presumptive No.1 pick in the NBA draft world.
However, his fellow freshman teammate is also a certified hooper.
Knueppel was a five-star prospect out of Wisconsin Lutheran High School and ranked No. 16 nationally by 247Sports and No. 22 by ESPN.
He was no slouch coming into Durham and his freshman year campaign proved it.
Knueppel averaged 14.4, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists on a Duke team that earned a No. 1 seed in the tournament, winning both the ACC regular season title and conference tournament title.
Duke plays Houston on Saturday in the NCAA men’s tournament semifinals.
“Coach (Jon) Scheyer has done a tremendous job, along with his staff, of evaluating players that play the style he wants to play,” Houston assistant coach K.C. Beard exclusively told talkSPORT.
“They’re so unselfish. You don’t see a lot of guys that take selfish shots, and that’s obviously refreshing in today’s college basketball. That’s going to certainly be a challenge for us.”
While Flagg went down with an ankle injury early in the ACC tournament, Knueppel and the rest of the Blue Devils picked up the slack and brought home another conference title to Durham.
Now their eyes are on the ultimate goal — the national championship.
If Duke wants to win its sixth national title in school history, Knueppel is must have a strong tournament.
Luckily for Duke, hooping is in Knueppel’s blood.
His uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, had a short stint with the Milwaukee Bucks and played professionally in Europe for nearly a decade.
His father played at Wisconsin Lutheran College where he was the school’s all-time leading scorer up until 2019.
March Madness Top Stories
Ranking the greatest players in NCAA men’s March Madness history – from Michael Jordan to Magic Johnson
‘This sister is special’ – Stephen A. Smith identifies rising star who can challenge Caitlin Clark’s WNBA dominance
March Madness legends who are still balling in NBA today – from Steph Curry to Ja Morant
NCAA March Madness is bigger and better than the College Football Playoff – the springtime phenomenon is bigger than ever
Biggest March Madness upsets in history of NCAA Tournament – top seeds humiliated as small schools enjoy their moment
In other words, Knueppel was born with a basketball in his hand.
While Flagg is expected to be the first pick in the NBA draft, Knueppel won’t be that far behind him.
The 6′ 7″ guard is projected to be a lottery pick.
And if everything goes according to plan, both Flagg and Knueppel will head to the Association as national champions.
