Cooper Flagg has been the star of Duke basketball the entire season. However, Flagg’s teammate Kon Knueppel stole the show during the ACC tournament.
After Flagg had an ankle injury, Knueppel had to finish the conference tournament without his running mate. It didn’t matter though, as Duke basketball won the ACC tournament. Not to mention, Knueppel won the ACC tournament MVP.
As a result, Knueppel’s potential draft stock and player comparisons have skyrocketed. Jonathan Givony elaborated on The Hoop Collective Podcast about who the Duke basketball guard resembles most.
“I think Kon Knueppel is going to be a big-time NBA player,” Givony said. “I think he’s going to be like a Klay Thompson. That’s what I think, that’s my comp.”
Being compared to a likely Hall of Famer is quite an accomplishment in and out of itself. However, Givony makes an interesting point.
As a freshman, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points while shooting nearly 40% from three and over 90% from the free-throw line.
Those metrics alone are impressive, considering this is his first season. The duo of Knueppel and Flagg has been a showstopper in the ACC.
Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg have Duke basketball elite
While Flagg will likely be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, teams need to be well constructed. Luckily for Duke basketball, this is where Knueppel comes in.
He is their biggest perimeter threat and someone that has been an elite scorer since entering college. Givony continued to advocate for Knueppel and raved about his skill set.
“He is going to be an absolute start in the NBA, wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being an All-Star,” Givony said. “He can do everything on the basketball court. People look at him, they’re like, ‘Yeah, he’s a white guy from Wisconsin, he’s going to be a shooter.’ Yeah, he’s a shooter, he’s a great shooter, but he does way more than that.
“When Cooper Flagg gets hurt, they put the ball in Kon Knueppel’s hands. He was basically playing point guard for them for a big part of the year. He led them in pick-and-roll usage, he’s a great passer, he has an outstanding feel for the game. Physical, competitive, not a high flyer, people worry about him defensively. I have zero concerns about him on defense.”
As Duke basketball locked up the No. 1 seed, they await their opponent on Friday. Through that game and the duration of the tournament, those Thompson comparisons might continue to rise for the freshman guard.
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