Blue Devil Country

Incoming Duke Basketball Wing Earns 'The Bucket' Distinction

Kon Knueppel is a scoring sensation who too often goes unmentioned when talking about Duke basketball's unmatched 2024 class.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball signee Kon Knueppel
Duke basketball signee Kon Knueppel / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK
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On Wednesday, 247Sports released its final rankings for the 2024 class. Along with that, one of the site's national recruiting analysts, Travis Branham, handed out a dozen distinct superlatives, of which two went to Duke basketball signees.

Branham's "Top Dog" superlative shouldn't come as a surprise. After all, Blue Devil prize and No. 1 overall prospect Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9, 200-pound phenom forward out of Maine who played his prep ball at powerhouse Montverde Academy (Fla.), gives off generational-talent vibes.

The other incoming Duke basketball five-star on Branham's list is Wisconsin Lutheran forward Kon Knueppel, winner of the "The Bucket" superlative after routinely dropping 30 points or more as a senior en route to receiving the Mr. Basketball honor in Wisconsin.

Here's a snippet of what all has stood out to Branham when watching arguably the most overlooked piece to the Blue Devils' six-deep 2024 haul:

"Knueppel does his damage scoring the ball in a variety of ways and is among the most polished players in the entire class. He is a lethal shot-maker. And while he isn't the most athletic player, he has an elite feel for how to get to his spots, using his body and scoring from all three levels...It's hard to call anyone else the top scorer when Knueppel was in fact the top scorer on the EYBL during the regular season."

At No. 18 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound Kon Knueppel ranks only fourth in Jon Scheyer's top-ranked collection.

RELATED: Next Knueppel Names for Duke Fans to Know

Again, Flagg finished where he belongs at No. 1 overall. As for the other four future Blue Devils, NBA Academy Africa five-star big man Khaman Maluach comes in at No. 6, North Meck (N.C.) five-star forward Isaiah Evans at No. 15, Paul VI Catholic (Va.) five-star center Patrick Ngongba II at No. 25, and Paul VI five-star wing Darren Harris at No. 38.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI for more Duke basketball news.

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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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