Duke makes major move for Kon Knueppel’s younger brother as recruitment heats up originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Duke has already seen what one Knueppel brother can do in Durham. Now, Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils appear determined to see if lightning can strike twice.
Advertisement
According to multiple recruiting reports, Duke has intensified its pursuit of 2027 standout Kager Knueppel, the younger brother of former Blue Devils star and current Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel. Associate head coach Chris Carrawell was reportedly on hand Friday to evaluate the rising prospect, underscoring Duke’s continued commitment to one of the fastest-rising players in the 2027 recruiting class.
While the Blue Devils remain firmly in the mix, Kager has made it clear that he isn’t ready to follow his older brother’s path just yet.
Kager Knueppel says recruitment isn’t “100% Duke”
Despite Duke’s early interest, Kager emphasized that he’s exploring all of his options.
Advertisement
“It’s not just 100% Duke. It’s my own path, so I’ll see other schools and have interest in them,” Knueppel told Rivals.
Michigan and Purdue are among the other programs heavily involved in his recruitment, while he also owns offers from Wisconsin, DePaul and Toledo. The 6-foot-10 Wisconsin native believes he brings a different skill set than his older brother.
“I’m different because I’m longer and taller,” Kager said. “That’s obviously helped me a little bit, but then I can also get the blocks on defense, and I can shoot as well.”
That combination of size and perimeter shooting has helped make him one of the biggest risers in the 2027 class.
Advertisement
Recruiting rankings continue climbing
Kager’s stock has soared in recent months. After 247Sports updated its 2027 rankings, Knueppel jumped 28 spots in the Composite rankings to No. 52 nationally.
His rise was even more dramatic in the outlet’s standalone Top 150 rankings, where he climbed an eye-catching 94 spots to No. 28 overall. Those jumps have only intensified the attention surrounding his recruitment, with Duke remaining one of the schools most closely linked to the talented forward.
Advertisement
Kon Knueppel set a high bar at Duke
Following an older sibling isn’t easy, but Kon certainly left a lasting impression in Durham. During his lone season with the Blue Devils, Kon helped lead Duke to the Final Four while earning ACC Tournament MVP honors. He averaged 14.4 points per game and shot better than 40% from three before becoming the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
His success carried over immediately to the NBA. Kon averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists during a standout rookie season with the Charlotte Hornets. He also set the NBA rookie record for made three-pointers in a season with 273 while finishing second to former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg in Rookie of the Year voting.
Now Duke hopes another Knueppel can eventually make his way to Cameron Indoor Stadium. For now, however, Kager appears focused on carving out his own recruiting journey—even if that path ultimately leads him to the same place his older brother became a college basketball star.
Advertisement
