Brother of Breakout NBA Rookie From Wisconsin Visits Badgers For Iowa Game

The Wisconsin Badgers weren't able to land star in-state prospect Kon Knueppel a few years ago. They're trying again with his younger brother.

When Iowa came to town for a Badgers home game at the Kohl Center, Wisconsin also hosted a visit for 2027 recruit Kager Knueppel.

2027 recruit Kager Knueppel is here for the #Badgers’ game against Iowa. pic.twitter.com/xH96pYE79b
— John Steppe (@JSteppe1) February 22, 2026

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As a junior, Kagel hasn't quite reached the recruiting status of his older brother, but Kon's emergence in the NBA will only help raise the younger brother's profile.

Kager is currently rated highest by Rivals, who have him as a four-star prospect who is a Top 45 player and Top 15 small forward in the country.

247 Sports still lists him as a three-star recruit, but both have him as a Top 5 player in Wisconsin for the 2027 class, and he is expected to continue to rise up the ranks.

Related: Badgers coach Greg Gard travels to see top 2027 Wisconsin target

Listed at 6-foot-10, 205 pounds, he looks the part of a stretch forward, averaging over 17 points per game this season.

The Badgers have yet to formally offer Kager a scholarship, but the visit shows their genuine interest as schools like Marquette and Ohio State have also brough him in.

He still has a long way to go to reach the heights of his older brother Kon, who was the No. 1 recruit in the state of Wisconsin for the 2024 class.

He was a five-star prospect who was ranked as a Top 20 player and Top 5 shooting guard in the country that year.

Kon played at Duke despite interest from Wisconsin and Marquette in his home state, and now the fourth-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is breaking out in a major way.

He will make a strong push to unseat Cooper Flagg as Rookie of the Year, helping lead the Charlotte Hornets to an unexpectedly strong season.

The Badgers should be wary of letting another Knueppel leave the state to play elsewhere, especially if Kager's trajectory continues to rise through his senior season.