Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Rookie Rooted Against Blue Devils as Kid

Kon Knueppel says he didn't become a Duke basketball fan until last season.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball wing Kon Knueppel
Duke basketball wing Kon Knueppel / Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Kon Knueppel was in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium on April 6, 2015, the heralded Duke basketball freshman told Blue Devil sophomore guard Caleb Foster on this week's episode of The Brotherhood Podcast.

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But Knueppel, nine years old at the time of Duke's fifth and most recent national championship, wasn't cheering for the Blue Devils that night. No, it sounds like he was a Wisconsin fan all his life.

"I was there wearing a Wisconsin jersey, cheering for 'Frank the Tank' [Kaminsky] and all those guys," the 6-foot-7, 217-pound guard/forward out of Wisconsin Lutheran in Milwaukee admitted to Foster. "Devastating loss. But funny how it comes full circle."

Foster, who grew up in North Carolina as part of a family who adored the Blue Devils, had the opposite reaction.

"I was so happy when that happened," Foster said.

So, when did Kon Knueppel, fresh off powering his high school to a 30-0 record after leading all Nike EYBL scorers last summer at 22.5 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from three, come around to embracing the beauty of Duke basketball?

"Last year," he noted. "But before that, not really. I wasn't watching a whole lot of college basketball, actually. I was a Wisconsin fan early; they were really good when I was younger, so that was always fun to watch. But I didn't really get into Duke until last year."

It didn't take long for Knueppel to grow attached to the Blue Devils, though, as he announced his commitment to Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff within a week of returning home from his official visit last September.

"Obviously, all the advantages of getting to play high-level basketball in the spotlight and whatever, that's all cool," the 19-year-old Knueppel explained to Foster about his decision. "But just being able to come to a place where it's all about the work, coming in every day competing against the best players, I thought that would give me the best at basketball."

Thus far in summer workouts, no Blue Devil has drawn more praise from teammates than the next-level sharpshooter from Wisconsin.

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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.

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