Pacers Land Duke Star in New 2025 NBA Mock Draft

Matt Levine | Dec 5, 2024

Grace Smith-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

While the Indiana Pacers entered the NBA season with the hopes of another playoff run, fate has had other ideas so far. Indiana has struggled to find any form of consistency from game to game and it has resulted in them falling flat in the standings.

The Pacers hold a record of 9-14 for the season and they don't seem to be going anywhere. It's been a tough start to the year but if Indiana continues to struggle, they could at least get a decent pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

While the Pacers aren't looking toward the draft, the struggles that they have seen could force them to do so. In a new mock draft by Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, Indiana lands a star from the Duke Blue Devils.

It's not Cooper Flagg, who many see as the consensus No. 1 overall pick. But rather forward Kon Knueppel.

Wasserman had the Pacers drafting Knueppel with pick No. 9 in the mock draft.

"Knueppel unsurprisingly bounced back the next game to make three of four from deep. Regardless of what the final percentages say, scouts will see an elite shotmaker, though it's the flashes of driving, scoring improvisation and ball moving that will paint him as a more complete, versatile prospect."

The forward has averaged 12.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists this season for the Blue Devils. Knueppel has shot 42.7 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

The forward is a snipper from deep and could help the Pacers with their offensive attack. He is smooth with the ball and can finish at the rim strong also.

Wasserman compared him to Los Angeles Lakers rookie forward Dalton Knecht, possibly giving Indiana a legitimate player if they were to draft him. While Knecht is still a rookie in his own right, he has shown the ability to dominate games for Los Angeles.

This would be a home run pick for the Pacers if they landed in the top 10 of the draft board. Indiana is determined to turn this season around but landing a player like Knueppel could be a nice consolation prize for them if they cannot.

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