Latest news with #KonKnueppel
Yahoo
2 days ago
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- Yahoo
Hornets select Duke's Kon Knueppel with 4th overall pick in NBA Draft, trade Mark Williams
The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke's Kon Knueppel with the 4th overall pick on Wednesday night. Knueppel spent just one season with the Duke Blue Devils. ALSO READ: 'Whole different ballgame': Hornets players share bond through French connection Advertisement The Hornets made a splash shortly after the 4th pick by trading Mark Williams for the No. 29 pick and a 2029 first-round pick, the Charlotte Observer is reporting. (WATCH BELOW: Fans brave heat for FIFA match)
Fox News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Hornets draft pick Kon Knueppel calls entering NBA 'blessing from God'
Kon Knueppel heard his name called fairly early during the NBA Draft on Wednesday night. The Charlotte Hornets selected the former Duke Blue Devils star with the No. 4 pick. He went three picks after his teammate, Cooper Flagg, was taken No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks. Knueppel was with his brothers as he spoke to ESPN following the selection and praised the Lord for being able to turn professional. "I mean it's such a blessing from God to be able to enter the NBA, but to be able to share it with your family is beyond comprehension. It's such a special moment for us and for me," he said. Kash Knueppel was one of Kon's four brothers who was with him on draft night. He was asked to hype up his brother. "It's awesome. It's a blessing from God. He'll have fun – every minute of it. It'll be awesome to watch him from home," he said. Kon Knuppel briefly mentioned his Christian faith in an interview with Rivals in February 2023. He said it was a big reason why he was considering Virginia at the time before he ultimately decided to join Duke. Tony Bennett was the head coach of the Cavaliers at the time. "I've told a couple of people this, but when I went on my visit there, coach (Tony) Bennett said that he wanted me to know that Virginia is a faith-based program," he said at the time. "That's something that's stuck with me, being a Christian. "That's something that's really important to me, so that was awesome to hear and something I don't always hear. They've also got a great, great program. They've been the best in the ACC for a long time now." Knueppel played one season at Duke. He averaged 14.4 points and 4 rebounds per game. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
2 days ago
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- Yahoo
2025 NBA Draft Round 2: Best players still available
Thirty picks down, 29 to go. The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft got off without a hitch. Unsurprisingly, Cooper Flagg went No. 1 overall to the Dallas Mavericks, while Duke teammates Kon Knueppel (No. 4) and Khaman Maluach (No. 10) each went inside the top 10. Advertisement It wasn't until later in the first round when the unexpected selections picked up. As certain names flew off the board, fans were left with questions like, "How is that player still available?" Although the NBA draft is only two rounds, that second round can often be where championship teams are built. With the recent success of second-round picks like Nikola Jokic, Draymond Green, and Jalen Brunson, there's plenty of reason to remain invested in these selections if you're an NBA fan. Here are the best players still available on Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft. 2025 NBA DRAFT, ROUND ONE: Full list of NBA draft picks, analysis of first round 2025 NBA Draft: Best players still available in Round 2 Guards Chaz Lanier, Tennessee Senior, guard, 6-4, 199 pounds, 23 years old 2024-25 stats: 18.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.9 spg, 43.1% FG, 39.5% 3PT, 75.8% FT Adou Thiero, Arkansas Junior, guard, 6-8, 220 pounds, 21 years old 2024-25 stats: 15.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 spg, 54.5% FG, 25.6% 3PT, 68.6% FT Forwards Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph's Junior, forward, 6-8¼, 232 pounds, 20 years old 2024-25 stats: 14.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 apg, 53.1% FG, 39% 3PT, 74.3% FT Noah Penda, Le Mans Sarthe (France) Forward, 6-6, 232 pounds, 20 years old 2024-25 stats: 10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.4 spg, 0.4 bpg, 44.0% FG, 30.4% 3PT, 69.3% FT Centers Maxime Raynaud, Stanford Senior, center, 7-0¼, 237 pounds, 22 years old 2024-25 stats: 20.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.4 bpg, 46.7% FG, 34.7% 3PT, 77% FT Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton Senior, center, 7-1, 270 pounds, 23 years old 2024-25 stats: 19.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.7 bpg, 0.5 spg, 65.3% FG, 34.4% 3PT, 68.1% FT Advertisement The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA draft 2025: Best players available in Round 2
Yahoo
2 days ago
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- Yahoo
Kon Knueppel's Mom Turns Heads At The NBA Draft
Kon Knueppel's Mom Turns Heads At The NBA Draft originally appeared on The Spun. Kon Knueppel is rising up the NBA Draft boards ahead of the first round on Wednesday night. The Duke Blue Devils star could be a top pick. Knueppel, who spent one year at Duke, is considered by some to be a top-five prospect. Advertisement The former five-star recruit, who comes from a major sports family, is seen as one of the most sure-fire bets to become a good to great NBA player. ESPN currently has Knueppel landing at No. 4 overall to the Charlotte Hornets. "Rival teams believe the Hornets will ultimately prioritize Knueppel's strong perimeter shooting, playmaking and leadership skills, as well as his strong fit with the likes of LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. The Hornets would be going for a safer option in Knueppel after swinging for the fences with Tidjane Salaun in last year's draft at No. 6," ESPN writes. "Knueppel rates well in analytics-based draft models, but the Hornets might ponder whether they could still add him if they elect to move down a few slots and acquire additional assets in the process." Advertisement Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, Knueppel's mom is turning heads. She's a former women's college basketball player. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 4: 2025 Kon Knueppel #7 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during a practice session ahead of the Final Four round of the men's NCAA basketball tournament at Alamodome on April 4, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by)Knueppel was overshadowed by Cooper Flagg at Duke, but he was a standout player. "If Cooper Flagg weren't on Duke, I think Kon Knueppel would be getting serious first team All-American buzz," college basketball analyst Evan Miya wrote. "He's ranked as the 6th most valuable player in the country at He's been a tremendous shooter, scorer, playmaker, and has been great on defense." Knueppel's mom is Chari Nordgaard Knueppel, a former college hoops star. She was a standout player at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She has five sons. Advertisement The mom of the Duke Blue Devils star played in two NCAA Women's Basketball Tournaments in 1998 and 1999. Knueppel's mom is UWGB's all-time leading scorer with 1,964 points. CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson opened up about the Knueppel family during the NCAA Tournament. They've been on quite a ride. Knueppel's family is sure to have a lot to celebrate heading into the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night. The first round is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. E.T. It'll air live on ESPN. Kon Knueppel's Mom Turns Heads At The NBA Draft first appeared on The Spun on Jun 26, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cooper Flagg Has Two Duke Teammates Waiting to Get Drafted After Day One
Cooper Flagg Has Two Duke Teammates Waiting to Get Drafted After Day One originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Duke's 2024-25 squad was stacked with talent, and after a Final Four run that turned plenty of heads, it's no surprise their players are making waves in the NBA draft. Advertisement Cooper Flagg going to the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 overall pick set the tone, followed by two more Blue Devils hearing their names in the first round: the Charlotte Hornets drafted Kon Knueppel with the No. 4 pick and Houston Rockets' No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach landing with the Phoenix Suns via the Kevin Durant trade. But the job's not done just yet. While some have already secured their NBA futures, two Duke teammates are still patiently waiting for their moment to arrive as the draft rolls into Day Two. As for the two Blue Devils who are still on the board, Tyrese Proctor, the Aussie point guard with smooth passing and size, is widely expected to land early in the second round. Teams like the Sacramento Kings are showing interest. Advertisement Meanwhile, Sion James, the versatile 6′6″ defender-turned-spot-up shooter, could fit perfectly as a bench rotational piece. Golden State is even rumored to be eyeing him. Duke Blue Devils guard Sion James (14) shoots against Louisville Cardinals forward James Scott (0).Bob Donnan-Imagn Images This is the second time in six years that Duke had three players picked in the top 10 of the NBA Draft. The last time Duke pulled off a top-10 triple was in 2019 with No. 1 pick Zion Williamson, No. 3 pick RJ Barrett and No. 10 pick Cam Reddish. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
