With the college basketball season ending following the 2025 NCAA Tournament, young prospects from across the country have to decide between staying in college for another year or forfeiting their remaining eligibility by declaring for the draft. Kon Knueppel caught the basketball community’s attention by declaring for the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.
Despite the weight of the decision, Knueppel showed no hesitation. While Cooper Flagg has dominated headlines, Knueppel was a key part of Duke’s Final Four run and made his own mark during the season.
Kon Knueppel Is Expected To Be a Lottery Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft
Second-best rarely gets the spotlight, so it’s no surprise Knueppel flew under the radar for most of the season. But at 6-foot-7 and 216 pounds, the freshman guard still made noise, averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in his lone season at Duke.
Knueppel has already proven to be an elite shooter. He shot 47.9% from the field, 40.6% from the 3-point line, and 91.4% from the free-throw line. Even if his shooting numbers dip in the pros, his polish and poise suggest he’s still one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class.
BREAKING: Duke’s Kon Knueppel is declaring for the NBA draft, he announced on social media. pic.twitter.com/ZnMMzv5Yts
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 16, 2025
Although Duke came up short in the Final Four, falling to Houston, Knueppel closed out his college run strong with 16 points and seven boards in the loss. Still, that solid showing got buried under the disappointment of Duke’s tournament exit.
With Knueppel headed to the league, fans are now watching to see who else from the Blue Devils might follow. Cooper Flagg hasn’t officially declared yet and could return to Duke for another year. Other top talents like Khaman Maluach, Sion James, and Tyrese Proctor also face big decisions.
The 2025 NBA Draft is set for late June, and as the deadline to declare approaches (midnight ET at the end of April 26), more college stars will decide whether they’re ready to take the leap.
Knueppel has already proven he’s elite at the college level, but history says making it in the NBA is a different story. Whether he’s the exception remains to be seen. PFSN’s Kyle Soppe highlighted a few teams that could be interested in the Duke forward.
“Knueppel’s shooting makes it possible that he will be treated like a quarterback in the NFL Draft, where his stock steadily rises with time. The San Antonio Spurs could opt to go in his direction, understanding that they can cover for his defensive shortcomings with Victor Wembanyama while having a versatile point guard that can put the rookie in a position to succeed,” Soppe said.
“Other potential suitors for Knueppel’s services are the Chicago Bulls (third in 3-point rate this season), the Portland Trail Blazers (spent their first pick on more of a paint-locked big in Donovan Clingan last season, opening them up for perimeter-oriented players), and the Dallas Mavericks (at full strength, they have the interior on both ends covered).”
