Duke coaches have been circling the five Nike EYBL Session 2 in Indianapolis this weekend.
However, one performance stood out among the rising talents: sophomore Kager Knueppel, younger brother of Duke freshman Kon Knueppel.
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His play drew Duke head coach Jon Scheyer courtside for a close-up look.
While scouts from Arkansas and elsewhere hovered, Scheyer’s unexpected appearance suggests Duke is already sizing up Kager for its 2027 recruiting class, potentially keeping the Knueppel family pipeline flowing in Durham.
Kon started all 39 games last season for the Blue Devils and averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.9% from the field, 40.6% from three, and 91.4% from the free-throw line.
At 6-foot-8 with long arms and natural guard skills, Kager has basketball bloodlines.
His father, Kon, was Wisconsin Lutheran College’s all-time leading scorer until 2019, and his mother, Chari, remains UW-Green Bay’s all-time leading scorer.
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Meanwhile, Kager’s older brother Kon was a five-star recruit before starring at Duke.
Playing alongside Kon at Wisconsin Lutheran, Kager helped the Lancers go undefeated (30-0) and capture the WIAA Division 2 state championship in 2024.
In 2024-25, Kager averaged 13.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists over 30 games with the Lancers, shooting 54.5% from the field and 37.2% from 3-point range.
Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer and guard Kon Knueppel. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Toledo was the first to extend a Division I offer, but Scheyer sitting front and center signals the Duke’s serious interest.
The Blue Devils finished the 2024-25 campaign 35-4 and won their first four NCAA Tournament games before falling 70-67 to Houston in the Final Four.
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