Duke Basketball Recruiting Target Set for 'Massively Important' Visit

The Duke basketball program could have the last shot at impressing Kon Knueppel.

Duke basketball isn't necessarily the frontrunner for Wisconsin Lutheran small forward Kon Knueppel. That honor might belong to long-time suitor Virginia.

After all, the Cavaliers will host the 6-foot-6, 215-pound five-star small forward, No. 22 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, for a second official visit on Sept. 14-15.

Furthermore, Virginia head coach Tony Bennett, the leading scorer in Green Bay men's basketball history, is a Wisconsin native who has used his ties in the state to land a few heralded prospects from there in recent years.

Plus, it just so happens Knueppel's mother, Cheri Knueppel, is the leading scorer in Green Bay women's basketball history. And her brother, Kon's uncle, Jeff Nordgaard, starred for Tony Bennett's father, Dick Bennett, there before going No. 53 overall at the 1996 NBA Draft.

But bear in mind that Knueppel, an impressively polished talent with one of the smoothest 3-point strokes at the prep level, will travel from Charlottesville to Durham on Sept. 15 for a two-day official visit with the Blue Devils.

2024 6’5 Kon II Knueppel highlights with @PhenomUniverse 17U at @ny2lasports Swish N Dish! 👀

One of the top shooters in the country! 💯 🎯 @KnueppelKon #NY2LASND2K23 pic.twitter.com/Y1nCE3b3Tp

— NY2LASPORTS.TV (@NY2LASPORTSTV) April 4, 2023

At least for now, that's the last of four official visits he's marked on his calendar, suggesting a decision may soon follow. And in the recruiting business, it doesn't hurt to get the last shot at leaving a lasting impression.

On Wednesday, Rivals' Rob Cassidy outlined five "massively important" upcoming official visits across the nation and put Kon Knueppel's trip to Duke basketball land at the top of the list "because Duke is a major threat":

"Once seen as the leader to land Knueppel, Wisconsin now seems to have a dogfight on its hands when it comes to keeping the in-state star home for college. Virginia and Alabama are to be taken seriously, but looming trips to Durham have a special way of instilling fear into a recruit's local schools.

"Duke offered the five-star forward in early July, and a visit popped up on Knueppel's schedule roughly a week later. It's too early to know which way the wind of the Wisconsin Luther High School standout's commitment will eventually blow, but the weekend of Sept. 15 certainly feels like a massive pivot point."

Another home-state hopeful in the thick of things is Marquette. According to a report from On3's Jamie Shaw this week, the Golden Eagles will host Knueppel for an official visit later this month before he heads to Alabama on the second weekend of September.

As for Kon Knueppel's Duke basketball visit, he'll be one of at least three Blue Devil recruiting prospects in town that weekend. The other two are four-star 2024 small forward Tyler Betsey out of St. Thomas More (Conn.) and four-star 2025 small forward Nate Ament out of Highland (Va.).

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The Blue Devils' 2024 recruiting haul consists of two commits thus far in Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star small forward Darren Harris and North Meck (N.C.) five-star small forward Isaiah Evans.

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