Big Ten Roundup (Sept. 7): Dylan Harper Update, 5-Star Kon Knueppel 'Less Than Likely' To Choose Wisconsin
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Football is on everyone's minds here in September, but don't forget about Big Ten basketball.
Big updates came out on Tuesday involving two five-star recruits in the class of 2024 — Dylan Harper and Kon Knueppel.
Coach Steve Pikiell and Rutgers have long been in pursuit of Harper, son of NBA champion Ron Harper, and the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2024 class, behind only Cooper Flagg. According to the Tuesday report, the Scarlet Knights are still the favorite to win the Harper sweepstakes, but may have to wait until spring for his commitment.
As for coach Greg Gard and the Wisconsin Badgers, the news surrounding the five-star recruit they've been targeting is not as rosy. Dillon Graff of BadgerNotes reported on Tuesday that in-state, five-star prospect Kon Knueppel has been fading the Badgers in his recruitment, and will in all likelihood not attend Wisconsin.
Here's everything you need to know in today's Big Ten Roundup:
Dylan Harper Update
The heralded prospect from Ramsey, N.J., hasn't taken his official visit to Rutgers quite yet. However, he was seen in the stands at the Scarlet Knights' home game against Northwestern on Sunday.
According to Trilly Donovan at Burner Ball (yes, this is the correct name of the reporter in this case), Rutgers is still considered the favorite to land the star guard. Dylan being at the game in attendance with his brother Ron Harper Jr. — a former Rutgers' basketball player himself — certainly didn't hurt.
Burner Ball also reported that two of Rutgers' biggest competitors in the pursuit of Harper — Kansas and Auburn — are expecting to get official visits from Harper at some point this fall. The report said those could be coming as early as Sept. 16.
Harper's visit this weekend gave the Scarlet Knights renewed confidence that they're the leader in the clubhouse for the five-star guard. However, the report also said that a Harper commitment date might not come till late in the 2023-24 college basketball season, as the five-star's camp would first like to see how Pikiell and Rutgers look this year with their new style of play.
It's certainly a heated race, and one that would break the hearts of many a Scarlet Knight fan if Rutgers did not land the five-star from their own backyard.
Kon Knueppel Unlikely to Pick Wisconsin
The five-star guard in the 247 Sports consensus rankings has scheduled visits in September to Wisconsin, Marquette, Alabama, Duke and Virginia.
However, the Badgers likely won't be retaining the services of the 6-foot-5 prospect from Milwaukee, according to Graff of BadgerNotes.
"A trusted source who is well-connected in the college basketball recruiting landscape recently shared with BadgerNotes that Wisconsin fans shouldn’t bother getting their hopes up unless things change drastically during his official visit," Graff reported.
Graff's report also included news that Virginia and Duke seem to be the most likely schools that could land Knueppel.
It's a tough blow to Gard and the Badgers if they're already out of the running for the best 2024 high school basketball player in the state of Wisconsin, but that's where things are right now.
"Wisconsin basketball is 'fading' in the Kon Knueppel Sweepstakes," Graff wrote. "And the odds of him becoming a homegrown Badgers player are 'less than likely.'"
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