Cooper Flagg Sends Message to Kon Knueppel Before NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 11:49 AM ET

As the 2025 NBA season winds down with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers tied 2-2 heading into Game 5, all eyes are also on the upcoming NBA draft.

Set for June 25, the draft will welcome a fresh class of talent to the league. Widely considered one of the stronger classes in recent years, it’s expected to be full of big names hoping to make an immediate impact on their new teams.

One of those names is 19-year-old Kon Knueppel. The former Duke Blue Devils star, who played high school ball at Wisconsin Lutheran, is projected to be a lottery pick.

Standing 6-foot-7, Knueppel’s elite shooting ability and versatile scoring make him a hot commodity for NBA teams. He also brings a winning background; he helped Duke go 35-4 and reach the NCAA tournament Final Four this past season.

On Friday, Knueppel shared a message on social media that read, "Time flies when you’re having fun."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kon II Knueppel (@kon2knueppel)

The post included several photos, but one stood out. Knueppel sitting between Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach.

What got fans talking was the response from Flagg, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

"K dot."

Even Duke Basketball’s official account chimed in with a comment:

"KONTENT."

According to ESPN’s latest mock draft, Flagg is expected to go first overall to the Dallas Mavericks. Maluach is projected to go seventh to the New Orleans Pelicans, while Knueppel is slotted at No. 8 to the Brooklyn Nets.

The NBA finals may still be unfolding, but the excitement around the draft and the future stars it brings is already building.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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