Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Freshman Catches Fire During Practice

It looks as though Duke basketball has a new lights-out shooter.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball
Duke basketball / Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

For whatever reason, the Duke basketball social media team has a tendency to post the most captivating highlights of offseason workouts sometime after 11 p.m. ET on a random weeknight. Well, that was once again the case on Wednesday night.

This time, freshman guard/forward Kon Knueppel was the show, except for the supporting roles that teammates Tyrese Proctor and Mason Gillis played in cheering on his 3-point exploits in amazement.

RELATED: Next Knueppel Names for Duke Fans to Know

In the following Duke basketball post on Instagram, featuring a couple of photos and three separate videos showcasing Knueppel's sharpshooting prowess beyond the arc, the five-star from Wisconsin is seen knocking down a combined 28 threes in 29 attempts:

The 18-year-old Knueppel, who recently received a bump of an inch and 12 pounds on the 2024-25 Duke basketball roster to appear there as a 6-foot-7, 217-pounder, finished 12-for-12 on catch-and-shoot attempts in the first clip. He went 5-for-5 from the right corner, 5-for-5 from the right wing, and 2-for-2 at the top of the key.

And in the next clip, Knueppel puts up an 11-for-12 mark on one-dribble pull-ups: 7-for-7 at the top of the key and 4-for-5 from the left wing.

Finally, he drains all five of his catch-and-shoot threes around the arc in a drill requiring that he travel the maximum total distance to complete the shots.

Although fellow freshman wing Darren Harris won his fair share of 3-point contests as a prep, in light of the above evidence, it'd be tough to argue right now that any 2024-25 Blue Devil has a more reliable outside stroke than Kon Knueppel.

If it translates to games, there's no doubt that Jon Scheyer should call his number often.

More Duke Basketball News

Published
Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

Home/Basketball