Duke 2028 Target Hiller Compared to Former Blue Devil Star

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff haven't gotten super involved with the 2028 recruiting class just yet, but at least one recruit has been linked to the Blue Devils.

Scheyer and Co. have handed out two offers to 2027 recruits, to 5-star guard Beckham Black and 4-star recruit Kager Knueppel, brother of former Duke freshman phenom Kon Knueppel.

Now, there is one recruit who has been linked to the Blue Devils for weeks, and once Scheyer and Co. are formally allowed to meet with high school juniors in the middle of June, he could become a top target for the program.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Duke Showing Interest in 2028 5-Star Recruit Colton Hiller

Colton Hiller is the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 player out of the state of Pennsylvania according to the 247Sports 2028 Composite Rankings. The 6'6", 210-pound product attends Coatesville Area High School (PA).

Hiller has previously noted that the Duke program was among the squads that reached out to him most early in his recruitment, but he already holds high-major offers from programs such as Alabama, BYU, Indiana, Louisville, and Kansas State.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer shoots a ball during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The 2028 prospect was in attendance when the Blue Devils defeated Michigan in Washington, D.C. this past season, but Hiller has yet to take any official visits.

As the Blue Devils potentially are heating up their efforts to bring the forward to Durham, one analyst has compared Hiller to a former Blue Devil prized product.

2 years before Colton Hiller picks a school and I’m already ALL IN.

Game is too clean, too controlled, too advanced for his age. If this is already the base… I don’t even want to imagine what it looks like in 2 years when he commits to Duke.😉 pic.twitter.com/WpvQLE07TH
— Blue Devil Voices (@DukeEchoes) May 26, 2026

Colton Hiller Compared to Former Blue Devil Star Knueppel

Speaking of Kager Knueppel, Hiller was compared to former Duke freshman sensation Kon Knueppel, who spent one season with the team in 2024-25 before being selected fourth overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets.

"Colton Hiller, about 6'7", guard out of Pennsylvania...His comparison for me, when I watch him play, I see Kon Knueppel," ESPN National Director of Recruiting Paul Biancardi said. "He is that type of shooter. He's got the three-point shot down, off the catch, off the dribble. Then, he has the shot fake, one-dribble pull-up, shot fake, drive it. So he utilizes his shot to create gravity to create close-outs."

🇺🇸 Colton Hiller had himself a great performance for team USA today in the win over Puerto Rico, securing USA U16 a spot in the Americup finale.

23 points
2 assists
7-14 FG
4-9 3P
5-7 FT

The 6’5 SG is the youngest player on team USA, born in 2010 playing a year up. pic.twitter.com/vsLBQXYRfb
— nbadraftpoint (@nbadraftpoint) June 8, 2025

This is no light comparison from Biancardi, as it only took Knueppel one season in the NBA to establish himself as one of the best outside shooters in the league.

In his lone year with the Blue Devils, Knueppel shot 40.6% from beyond the arc on 5.3 attempts per game. As a rookie with the Hornets, he averaged 18.5 points per game on 42.5% shooting from three on 7.9 attempts per night, finishing second in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting to former Duke teammate and No. 1 overall 2025 NBA Draft choice, Cooper Flagg.

Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) shoots at pregame warm ups against the Miami Heat during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Knueppel also set the NBA rookie record for threes made in a season with 273.

The Blue Devils have been in touch with Hiller as his recruitment progresses, and it can be expected that talks between the two sides will heat up as the 2028 recruiting cycle moves forward. For now, Scheyer and Co. will prepare for the 2026-27 campaign.

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