High School

Wisconsin's Reigning Mr. Basketball Shining In National Spotlight With No. 1-Ranked Duke Blue Devils

Former Wisconsin Lutheran High School star Kon Knueppel II thriving in memorable freshman season at the collegiate level, praised as potential NBA lottery pick

Jeff Hagenau

Mar 15, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) drives to the basket in the second half of the 2025 ACC Conference Championship game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Mar 15, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) drives to the basket in the second half of the 2025 ACC Conference Championship game at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The past year has been a whirlwind for former Wisconsin Lutheran High School boys basketball star Kon Knueppel II.

From winning a WIAA Division 2 state championship and being named Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball, to starring for the No. 1-ranked Duke University men's basketball team, Knueppel has taken each challenge in stride, and continues to take the ball to the hoop with authority.


Knueppel, a standout 6-foot-7 college freshman guard/forward, was recently named Most Valuable Player of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament, garnering praise as a potential lottery pick in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft.
Knueppel scored a season-high 28 points in Duke's 78-70 come-from-behind ACC quarterfinal victory over Georgia Tech on March 13.
The Blue Devils went on to defeat Louisville 73-62 in the tournament championship game.

Duke, 31-3 overall, is top-seeded in the East Region and will face 16th-seeded Mount St. Mary's in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. on today at 1:50 p.m.

The steadily improving freshman standout is currently second on the team in scoring behind freshman forward Cooper Flagg, averaging an impactful 14.4 points per game this season.

Knueppel was selected 2024 Mr. Basketball by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), Wisconsin Associated Press Player of the Year, and Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year. As a senior, he averaged 25.9 points per game, 8.6 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He finished his high school career as Wisconsin Lutheran's leader in points (1,978), rebounds (808), and assists (398).

As in high school, the 19-year-old Knueppel has continued to maintain a humble blue-collar approach, centered on faith and hard work.
His favorite quote comes from an inspirational meeting with NBA legend Bill Walton at the 2015 Final Four. "Follow your dreams, make your dream your job, and make your job your life, and everything will be fine," Walton said.

If Knueppel continues to take those meaningful words to heart, an NCAA championship and flourishing NBA career could soon be on the horizon.

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-- Jeff Hagenau | jeffreyhagenau@gmail.com

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Jeff Hagenau
JEFF HAGENAU

Jeff Hagenau has been a sports writer in southeast Wisconsin for the past 28 years, covering at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He graduated from Carroll University with a degree in journalism and has showcased his versatility by reporting on a wide array of sports over the course of his memorable career.

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