Now that the Sixers have locked in the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, it is time to get up to speed on all of the best non-Cooper Flagg prospects in this year's class.
Today's prospect: Kon Knuppel, the sharpshooting guard/wing from Duke who appears to be one of the safest bets in this year's class to be an impactful NBA player. Knueppel, who will be 20 years old as an NBA rookie, is more than just an elite sniper, and his all-around skills have him likely to be drafted early. It is unclear if he will be in play for the Sixers should they stick at No. 3, but he would unquestionably be an option should the team move down a few spots down the board.
Here to help educate us: Brian Geisinger, who does a terrific job covering all sorts of basketball, including with his Split The Action college basketball and draft-centric Substack, where he has excellent use of film and numbers to evaluate players at a level many cannot reach. Subscribing to Split The Action is free and strongly recommended. Brian also covers ACC basketball for 247 Sports — his expertise of the Duke Blue Devils is coming in handy for us once again! — and the Charlotte Hornets with his Buzz Beat Podcast.Let's dive in…Adam Aaronson: Even someone only watching box scores can tell that Knueppel has the chance to be a special shooter. He knocked down over 40 percent of his three-point attempts on high volume at Duke, where he also made 91.4 percent of his free throws. How was Duke able to utilize that ability? Did Knueppel do most of his damage on spot-up attempts, or could he work in pull-up and movement shooting as well? How do you think this skill would translate to a Sixers team already flush with high-usage offensive players? Brian Geisinger: Duke reoriented its 5-out offense for the 2024-25 season, sliding the five (Khaman Maluach) to the wing and shifting the four (Cooper Flagg) to the middle of the floor, where Flagg operated as the team’s lead decision-maker. Knueppel thrived in this revamped system, which showcased his well-rounded offensive skill set: shooting, passing, cutting and screen-setting.Every player was tasked with helping generate open looks for teammates, with Knueppel operating as the No. 2 option alongside Flagg.
Knueppel is excellent playing off of the catch, but his combination of shooting, strength and patience work in a variety of contexts. Duke featured Knueppel as an off-ball mover, running him through sets and actions identical to those used for Jared McCain the previous season. Knueppel is already adept at setting his defenders up and making reads while coming off down screens. His footwork is excellent and it’s a big reason why he’s able to generate separation in these actions.
His movement game isn’t limited to just off-ball screens, though. Knueppel was also deployed as a screener in many inverted actions with Flagg. He sets strong, purposeful screens that force switches and is more than capable of slipping out or ghosting screens for catch-and-shoot or catch-and-go opportunities along the perimeter. With his shooting gravity and quick decision-making, Knueppel thrives in these types of actions, working as an amplifier for higher-usage creators.That said, Knueppel shouldn’t be pigeonholed into a pure off-ball role. He has some juice with the basketball and he can initiate offense out of ball screens, too. While he isn’t a breakdown guard, Knueppel uses his strength and pace to get north-south with the ball, and he’s a pull-up shooter from multiple levels of the floor – with soft touch in tricky midrange locations. According to CBB Analytics, nearly 96 percent of Knueppel’s field goal attempts at Duke were either three-point attempts or came in the paint, where he shot 62.1 percent at the rim and 46.3 percent on attempts in the paint but outside the restricted area (74th percentile).When not directly involved in the action, Knueppel stays in motion as a heady relocator and cutter – sliding along the perimeter for kick-out threes or timely basket cuts.AA: If Knueppel landed with the Sixers — either at No. 3 or after a trade down — his positional utility on the defensive end of the floor would face some scrutiny. The Sixers already have Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain cemented as long-term cornerstones in the backcourt and are expected to bring back Quentin Grimes as well. Do you see Knueppel being capable of handling wing assignments in the NBA? If so, is it something he will be able to do soon or will that be a longer process?BG: There’s no question that Knueppel’s one-on-one and on-ball defense against NBA-level creators will raise concerns. With a wingspan just over 6-foot-6, he lacks high-end length, and his lateral quickness in space is limited. ACC guards were able to attack Knueppel’s top foot with quick crossovers and get by him. He just isn’t that twitchy of an athlete, and defending shifty perimeter ball handlers will present challenges.However, Knueppel is nearly 220 pounds, strong as hell and competes his ass off. His size and physicality serve as counters against opponents looking to isolate him – offensive players can’t just overpower him or back him down in the post. This is one reason I believe he can hold up defensively as a postseason player. I don’t expect him to be a total liability, nor do I think he’ll have a target on his back the second he steps on the floor in crunch time.In terms of team defense, Knueppel hits his marks and plays with good anticipatory skills. He’s disciplined. Duke’s defensive scheme was highly versatile this season, and Knueppel showed the ability to switch across multiple positions. He also contributed as an off-ball helper in a range of pick-and-roll coverages, demonstrating both awareness and adaptability.
MORE: What if Dylan Harper falls to No. 3?
AA: There is a decent public understanding of the player Knueppel is based on his numbers and anecdotal evidence collected by people who would stop flipping channels when they landed on a Duke game. Can you describe an important aspect of his game that might not have shined through unless someone watched him on a consistent basis like you did?BG: Knueppel isn’t an overly manipulative playmaker, but he’s a clever, decisive passer, who leverages the threat of his shooting to unlock his passing game. Duke’s offense frequently featured Knueppel as an off-ball mover – empty-side pindowns, Zipper action and flare screens.Thanks to his shooting gravity and ability to read defenders, Knueppel often drew two defenders when coming off screens. In those moments, Knueppel made snappy decisions and found open teammates for rim finishes – often Maluach – or kick-out threes.My favorite micro-skill of Knueppel, though, is his patience as a pick-and-roll driver against drop coverage. In general, when attacking drop with a live dribble, the ball-handler should want to make a decision as late as possible. Knueppel is very good at keeping the on-ball defender attached to his hip while probing with the ball and allowing the screener to get downhill on the roll – turning these pick-and-roll actions into de facto two-on-one opportunities. Knueppel will take what the drop defender gives him, but as soon as the center takes a step or even nudges in his direction, he’s looking to toss a lob to the rim-runner.Knueppel and Maluach had excellent chemistry running these two-man actions this season. Per CBB Analytics, Knueppel had 46 rim assists this season – tied for second most on the roster with Sion James, ranking behind only Flagg (59) – which accounted for 43 percent of his total assists, a percentage that ranked in the 72nd percentile nationally.
MORE: Asking an expert about Ace Bailey's fit with the Sixers
AA: Oftentimes when the consensus believes a prospect has a “high floor,” that term becomes associated with somewhat limited upside. Everyone seems to agree Knueppel will definitely be a useful NBA player, but do you see more potential star outcomes than others?BG: Yes, I do see potential star outcomes with Knueppel – or at least sub-star outcomes where he is a featured offensive player with lots of usage and responsibility. He offers a special combination of strength, shooting, passing and compete level. Star or not: guys who have these traits turn into impact players on winning teams.With Knueppel’s ability to play without the ball, he’s an incredibly malleable player – he doesn’t need to dictate the action to be a positive player. However, his time at Duke also showed that he can scale his game up when needed.
It’s a small sample, but in the 283 minutes with Flagg off the floor and Knueppel on, Duke’s offense still scored an impressive 130.1 points per 100 possessions, according to CBB Analytics. Unsurprisingly, Knueppel was a major driver of that electric offense.
Knueppel’s on-ball usage numbers jumped in those minutes, and he maintained a high level of efficiency. Without Flagg on the floor, Knueppel posted a 23.1 percent usage rate and a 23.7 percent assist rate – up from 20.9 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively, when sharing the court with Flagg.
Despite the added usage in those stretches of play, Knueppel posted a sub-9 percent turnover rate, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.3-to-1 and a true shooting rate of 62.5 percent. These numbers were boosted by Knueppel getting to the line with greater frequency sans Flagg: 43.6 percent FTA rate with Flagg out of the game, compared to 30.6 percent with Flagg on the court.
With Flagg injured and able to play just 15 minutes in the first half against Georgia Tech, Knueppel famously took over as Duke’s catalyst at the 2025 ACC Tournament. While his three-point shooting dipped, Knueppel was a tank as Duke came from behind to beat Tech, followed by wins over UNC and Louisville. Knueppel finished his three games in Charlotte with a 25.7 percent usage rate, 25.7 percent assist rate and 66.2 percent true shooting. Moreover, Knueppel connected on 61.9 percent of his two-point attempts, while shooting 71.4 percent on 4.7 rim attempts per game.
MORE: Asking an expert about V.J. Edgecombe's fit with the Sixers
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdamFollow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice