Duke Target Kager Knueppel Shares Difference From Brother Kon

Kager Knueppel revealed the difference between his game and his older brother Kon's.

Apr 17, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots during the second half against the Orlando Magic during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer has been involved with a few recruits in the 2027 recruiting class, and one of them has family ties to the Duke program.

The Blue Devils have offered two high-profile 2027 prospects: 5-star guard Beckham Black, brother of current Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, and 4-star big man Kager Knueppel, brother of former Blue Devil Kon Knueppel.

Wisconsin Lutheran High School's Kager Knueppel (1) reacts after hitting a 3-pointer against Appleton North High School during a Division 1 semifinal game at the WIAA state boys basketball tournament on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin Lutheran won the game, 68-61. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kon spent the 2024-25 season with Duke as the Robin to Batman Cooper Flagg and was one of the most productive wings in college basketball. Knueppel averaged 14.4 points on 47.9% shooting from the field and 40.6% shooting from three-point range on 5.3 attempts a night.

The 6'6" wing was a key piece to Duke's ACC Tournament title run, in which Knueppel won ACC Tournament MVP, and the team's Final Four run. Following his lone season in Durham, Kon declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, where he was selected fourth overall by the Charlotte Hornets, immediately becoming a cornerstone piece of a young Hornets club.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) drives against Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

In his rookie year, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points on 42.5% shooting from beyond the arc on 7.9 attempts per game, leading the NBA in threes made and setting the NBA rookie record with 273 total made three-pointers.

Knueppel finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting to none other than Flagg, the 2025 draft's No. 1 overall pick to the Dallas Mavericks.

Now, Scheyer and Co. are targeting the next member of the Knueppel family.

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 Heavily Involved With 2027 Recruit Kager Knueppel

Kager is ranked as the No. 81 overall player, No. 10 power forward, and No. 5 player out of the state of Wisconsin, according to the 247Sports 2027 Composite Rankings. The 4-star forward has received offers from Purdue, Wisconsin, Toledo, and DePaul in addition to the Blue Devils.

Over the past several weeks, buzz between Knueppel and the Duke program has grown at a pretty high rate. The 6'9", 205-pound power forward became the first 2027 recruit that the program sent an offer to, and he later received a crystal ball prediction to land with the Blue Devils.

Wisconsin Lutheran guard Kager Knueppel (1) beats brother Kash Knueppel to a rebound against Greendale in a game Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Greendale High School in Greendale, Wisconsin. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, Knueppel has said that he is not automatically following his older brother to Duke and will consider other programs throughout his recruitment.

“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.

NEW: 4⭐️ Kager Knueppel updates his recruitment and says he’s not automatically following his brother Kon’s path to Duke 👀

“It’s not just 100% Duke. It’s my own path, so I’ll see other schools and have interest in them.”

View: https://t.co/uW7rN41ubW pic.twitter.com/FLqzp5pxNK

— Joe Tipton (@JoeTipton) May 20, 2026

Obviously, Kager's recruitment process is still very fresh. The Duke program seems to want to get the 4-star big man on campus for an official visit sooner rather than later, but there is no official timetable for his commitment.

The interesting dynamic between Kager and Kon is that the two recruits share similarities in their games but also have some differences. Kager broke down the main difference between his game and Kon's.

Wisconsin Lutheran's Kager Knueppel (1) dunks 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

Kager Knueppel Reveals Key Difference Between His Game and Older Brother Kon's

In a recent conversation with CBS Sports' Director of Basketball Scouting, Adam Finkelstein, Kager let the nation know what differentiates him from his older brother.

"I'm different because I'm longer and taller," Knueppel said. "So that's obviously helped me a little bit. But then also I can get the blocks on defense, and I can shoot it as well as him, so that's good."

"I can shoot as well as [Kon], so that's good." - Duke basketball target Kager Knueppel

😈🏀👀⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FZzcZ4Kiq3

— Matt Giles (@MattGilesBD) May 29, 2026

A lengthy wing with the ability to protect the rim and shoot the three-ball at a high level? Sounds like the prototypical Scheyer rotation piece.

Kon's shooting was usually the highlight of his package while with the Blue Devils, but he was also an elite defender with good footwork and a high level of physicality. He moved with fluidity with the basketball in his hands and never took a possession off on defense.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court 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

When watching Kager play, he has the same smooth style to his game as his older brother, with added length that will allow him to guard multiple positions on the floor.

Now, Kager still has tons of room to grow, but the noise between the 4-star and the Blue Devils has been picking up as of late. He will certainly hear from several other high-major programs throughout the remainder of his recruitment process, but Duke seems to be remaining in the driver's seat.