SI

Cooper Flagg Had Priceless Reaction to Kon Knueppel Getting Drafted by Hornets

This was so wholesome.

Kristen Wong

Screengrab on Twitter/ @NBATV
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The Duke brotherhood is alive and well at the 2025 NBA Draft, with two Blue Devils stars getting taken in the top four: Cooper Flagg was picked first by the Dallas Mavericks, and a short while later, Kon Knueppel was selected as the No. 4 pick by the Charlotte Hornets.

The moment Knueppel was drafted by the Hornets was a particularly special one, as cameras caught Flagg's live reaction to hearing his former college teammate find a home in the pros. Flagg was in the middle of an interview with NBA reporter Taylor Rooks when Adam Silver called out Knueppel's name from the podium.

Flagg heard it, immediately stopped his interview to turn around and let out several giddy hoots of joy. He then stood up and looked at Knueppel from far away while proudly clapping his hands. "Let's go!" Flagg shouted.

Check out that sweet moment below:

Flagg and Knueppel played together for just one season at Duke this past season, but it sure was a memorable one. Though their Final Four run didn't end in NCAA championship glory, it may have created the friendship of a lifetime. What a special moment for the Duke alumni.

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Kristen Wong
KRISTEN WONG

Kristen Wong is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. She has been a sports journalist since 2020. Before joining SI in November 2023, Wong covered four NFL teams as an associate editor with the FanSided NFL Network and worked as a staff writer for the brand’s flagship site. Outside of work, she has dreams of running her own sporty dive bar.

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