Duke Basketball Target Kager Knueppel Soars in Recruiting Rankings

Kager Knueppel is gaining momentum in his recruitment process.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer speaks with the media during a press conference 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

Head coach Jon Scheyer and the rest of the Duke basketball staff have begun to get familiar with a few recruits in the 2027 recruiting class.

The Blue Devils have offered two prospects in the 2027 class: 5-star guard Beckham Black, younger brother of current Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, and Kager Knueppel. Kager is the younger brother of former Blue Devil and current Charlotte Hornet, Kon Knueppel.

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

Kager Knueppel Has Been on Duke's Radar for a While

Kager Knueppel is one of the earliest recruits that the Duke program has gotten in touch with in the 2027 recruiting class, and the big man is also set up to be one of the biggest risers in the entire class.

Duke offered Knueppel back in late April. The 6'10" forward also holds offers from DePaul, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Toledo.

Despite it being very early in his recruiting process, Knueppel has, for obvious reasons, already been heavily linked to the Blue Devils. In May, the Wisconsin native picked up a crystal ball prediction to land with Duke from Badger247's Jon McNamara.

Mar 21, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts after a play during the second half against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Kon Knueppel was instrumental in Duke's 2025 Final Four run and also won ACC Tournament MVP after leading the Blue Devils to a conference tournament crown. The 6'7" wing ended his lone year in Durham averaging 14.4 points on 47.9% shooting from the field and 40.6% shooting from three-point range on 5.3 attempts.

Knueppel went on to be selected with the fourth overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2025 NBA Draft, where he put together a historic rookie year in the NBA. The sharpshooter averaged 18.5 points per game on 42.5% shooting from the perimeter on 7.9 attempts. He set the NBA single-season rookie record for made threes with 273 and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to his former teammate, Cooper Flagg.

Now, the Duke program is showing heavy interest in the next Knueppel brother in line.

Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) dribbles the ball defended by Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) during the second half during the play-in rounds between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Kager Knueppel Sees Big Rise in Recruiting Rankings

247Sports recently updated its 2027 recruiting rankings, and Knueppel saw a massive jump. Knueppel is now the No. 52 overall player in the recruiting class, according to the 247Sports 2027 Composite Rankings, a jump of 28 spots from his previous ranking.

The Wisconsin Lutheran (WI) product is also now the No. 28 overall prospect per the 247Sports 2027 Top150, a massive 94-spot jump from his previous slot.

Knueppel is poised to be one of the biggest risers in the entire 2027 recruiting class, and although the Blue Devils are the favorite to land his services right now, he has said he wants to take his own path in his recruitment process.

Wisconsin Lutheran's Kager Knueppel (1) drives in for a layup against Madison Memorial during the WIAA Division 1 boys state championship basketball game on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin Lutheran won the game, 57-37. | Scott Ash / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“It’s not just 100% Duke. It’s my own path, so I’ll see other schools and have interest in them," Knueppel said in an interview with Rivals.

Now, Kager likely won't be the last Knueppel brother to spark intrigue from Duke. Kinston Knueppel is a member of the 2028 recruiting class and also figures to be one of the top talents in that year as well. Nonetheless, Kager's rise should trigger more competition for Duke to land him.