Kon Knueppel Has Unexpected Tie to Legendary NBA Personality

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated May 16, 2025 2:59 PM ET

Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, much of the buzz around this loaded class centers around Duke freshman Cooper Flagg.

However, while he is the projected No. 1 pick, he isn't the only former Duke phenom who is expected to go in the lottery. Fellow former five-star recruit and the team's second-leading scorer behind Flagg, Kon Knueppel, is also an intriguing prospect, drawing some attention ahead of the draft.

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 47.9% from the field and 40.6% from deep. His shooting ability is certainly a sought-after trait in the NBA these days, but for NBA insider Bill Simmons, he has a different reason as to why he is fond of Knueppel.

As revealed on a recent episode of the "Bill Simmons Podcast," Simmons revealed that he was sent a photo of a young Knueppel with his book "The Book of Basketball."

“I just want to say he’s (Kon Knueppel) my favorite in this draft, just because I like him, because he’s a listener,” Simmons said. “So shout out to him. He listens. There’s a picture of him reading my book when he’s like eight years old. So he’s not now my favorite player in the draft because I’m selfish.”

In the Ringer's latest NBA mock draft by J. Kyle Mann, Knueppel is projected to go No. 5 overall to the Utah Jazz.

Aside from him and Flagg going in the first five picks, Mann also projected that fellow five-star Duke freshman Khaman Maluach will be a top 10 pick, as he had him slated to go one pick after Knueppel to the Washington Wizards.

Regardless of where these players end up, they are expected to make an immediate impact. As for Knueppel, his being a fan of Simmons may have also earned him a lifelong fan from one of the biggest personalities in all of sports.

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

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