Duke freshman Kon Knueppel has quickly become a key performer for the Blue Devils in the 2024-25 season. The 6’7″, 217-pound forward is averaging 14.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 47.7% from the field through April 2, 2025.
However, as he approaches a potential 2025 NBA Draft decision and a Final Four appearance, what was his upbringing like?
Who Are Kon Knueppel’s Parents?
Knueppel’s parents, Kon Knueppel Sr. and Chari (née Nordgaard) Knueppel, both have impressive backgrounds in college basketball. His father had an illustrious basketball career at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
His father was a standout for the WLC Warriors, earning four All-Lake Michigan Conference selections and leading the Warriors to three straight conference championships from 1996 to 1998. Kon Sr. was named the LMC Player of the Year twice and LMC Rookie of the Year in 1995. He graduated as Wisconsin Lutheran’s all-time leading scorer with 2,064 points.
His mother, Chari, starred at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she became the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,964 points. She won the Horizon League Player of the Year award in 1999 and was inducted into the UW-Green Bay Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. Her No. 33 jersey was retired in January 2024, an honor reserved for the school’s greatest athletes.
A Family Rooted in Basketball
Kon Jr.’s basketball prowess is deeply rooted in his family’s rich athletic heritage. His mother recalls how her own experiences shaped her approach to parenting:
“Growing up, we would always cheer for [NC] State since my grandpa (Bud Rose) was the first All-American hooper for the Wolfpack,” she said.
In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Chari highlighted the family’s commitment to daily improvement: “We shoot every day with the boys… Because our goal is to get better every day.”
The basketball tradition extends beyond Kon Jr. His younger brother, Kager, is already making waves at 6’8″. During Wisconsin Lutheran High School’s state championship run, Chari demonstrated her unwavering support by traveling between her sons’ games.
She was reported to be “flying back and forth from Raleigh, North Carolina, and Madison, Wisconsin” to attend both Kon’s NCAA Tournament games and Kager’s high school championship, according to John Leuzzi of The Fayetteville Observer.
Her dedication underscores the family’s passion for basketball and their commitment to each other’s success. Now, Knueppel prepares for a Final Four appearance with Duke in his first March Madness. Their game tips off on Saturday, April 5, at 8:49 p.m. ET against the Houston Cougars in San Antonio.
