The Duke Blue Devils are still alive after they were able to beat the Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. Forward Kon Knueppel is one of the forces on this Duke team, and it’s clear to see why fans are so fascinated with Knueppel and the rest of the Blue Devils’ roster.
While Knueppel has dazzled Duke fans on the hardwood during his All-ACC season, there are some fans who want to know more about the Milwaukee native. Specifically, regarding his unique name, people are curious about his middle name. The 19-year-old’s full name is Kon II Knueppel. One of the more unique names in college basketball has some of the best game in college basketball. His ability to rise up and support teammates like Cooper Flagg and Tyrese Proctor in big games is what makes him a potentially elite player. The Second-Team All-ACC player averaged 14.2 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, and shot close to 38.0% from three-point range this season.
The Blue Devils kept their season alive with a 100-point effort in Thursday night’s Sweet 16 win over No. 4 seed Arizona in Newark, New Jersey. Head coach Jon Scheyer’s squad had contributions across the board, but it was future NBA lottery pick Cooper Flagg who led the way with 30 points, seven assists and six rebounds. Kon Knueppel added 20 points, four rebounds and three assists, continuing his strong tournament play. To beat Duke, teams typically need to win the rebounding battle and shoot efficiently. Arizona fell short in both areas. While the Wildcats played well under head coach Tommy Lloyd, it wasn’t enough to keep pace. The Blue Devils will now turn their attention to Saturday night’s Elite Eight matchup against Alabama, also in Newark, with a Final Four berth on the line. It’s a showdown between two high-powered teams and could come down to the wire.
Given his recent performance, Knueppel looks poised to continue playing at a high level. Paired with Flagg, the duo gives Duke a dangerous one-two punch when both are in rhythm. Anyone who has tuned into Duke's 2024-25 season, headlined by a generational basketball talent in Cooper Flagg, may have quickly noticed another standout freshman. Kon Knueppel ranks as the Blue Devils' second-leading scorer this season with 14.2 points per game, displaying some strong shooting at six-foot-seven. Knueppel's scoring ability has been a welcomed aspect of Duke's offense in 2024-25 as the team has made a deep run through March Madness as a No. 1 seed.
Moreover, Knueppel's name is pronounced "Kuh-nipple." In case there was any doubt early in the 2024-25 season, the confirmation came straight from the source during Duke's preseason practices. "Kon Kuh-nipple, like the body part," Knueppel said, pointing to his chest, when asked by On3 how to pronounce his name in October. While Knueppel's heritage isn't publicly known, his surname is of German origin, according to Ancestry. The name is derived from a German word that serves as a nickname for a peasant or a coarse man. Knueppel is no peasant on the basketball court. He's been one of the focal points of a Duke team with championship aspirations, and he's become a strong 2025 NBA Draft prospect next to the projected No. 1 overall pick, Flagg.
Knueppel attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wisc. The 19-year-old grew up in the Milwaukee area, and his family has a long basketball history in Wisconsin. Knueppel's father played at Wisconsin Lutheran College, while his uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, played at Wisconsin-Green Bay and even appeared in 13 games with the Milwaukee Bucks. No player from Wisconsin Lutheran High School has ever reached the NBA, though the school did produce longtime NFL guard Kevin Zeitler.
Knueppel's season-high was against Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament, fueled by 12 free throws among his 28 points. In Duke’s biggest nonconference games against Kentucky, Arizona, Kansas, Auburn, Illinois and now Baylor, Knueppel was 7-for-28 from long range, well below both his usual 3-point accuracy (41.7%) and shooting with half the frequency. In the loss to Kansas in Las Vegas, Knueppel got up in the air with nowhere to go and threw the ball away in the lane in the final seconds and Duke down one, and his desperation heave at the buzzer was the eighth and last of his missed 3s in that three-point loss.
There is, to be sure, more to Knueppel’s game than just long-range shooting, specifically his ability to take advantage of Duke’s spacing on offense, attack the rim and get to the free-throw line. That was especially apparent with Flagg in foul trouble in the regular-season finale at North Carolina, and again in the ACC tournament with Flagg out injured. Knueppel scored 17, 28, 18 and 17 points to lead Duke in scoring in three of those four games, in arguably as pressurized a situation as any games Duke has played this season, even if the opponents (other than Louisville) were not of the same caliber.
The way Tyrese Proctor has been shooting — 20-for-30 from 3-point range over the past three games — it doesn’t really matter what Knueppel does or doesn’t do, and Knueppel only missed one shot in a 12-point effort against Baylor. But for all of Duke’s talent, even compared to the quiet excellence of Flagg or the shooting inferno Proctor has been lately, Knueppel is Duke’s most explosive offensive player. He’s the most dangerous shooter, but also hardly one-dimensional, given his length and ability to attack the rim.
As Duke prepares for its upcoming clash against Alabama, the stakes couldn't be higher. Coach Scheyer's squad is looking to capitalize on their momentum from the Sweet 16, and with players like Knueppel stepping up, they are poised for a deep run. With the Final Four in sight, the Blue Devils are ready to face the challenge ahead. Will Knueppel deliver another standout performance when it matters most? Fans will be eagerly watching.
