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Duke Basketball Recruiting: Kager Knueppel's Breakout Campaign

Originally posted on Duke Blue Devils on SI
By Matt Giles | Last updated Jan 21, 2025 1:01 PM ET

Last season, as a freshman teammate to older brother and current Duke basketball rookie Kon Knueppel, Wisconsin Lutheran forward Kager Knueppel played only 3.9 minutes per game, averaging 1.4 points in mop-up duty.

Now, in helping power the Wisconsin powerhouse to a 12-1 overall record and 5-0 mark in conference play, the second oldest of the five Knueppel brothers is a full-time starter seeing 27.3 minutes per outing. The 6-foot-8, 200-pound Kager Knueppel is averaging 15.2 points as a mere sophomore, adding 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks.

Plus, he's shooting 56.4 percent from the field, 41.9 percent from three, and 81.6 percent at the charity stripe.

In the process of recording those stats, Kager Knueppel has already landed his first Division I offer, as Toledo officially tipped off its pursuit back in December.

Meanwhile, reacting to a post of one of his recent highlight performances, the Knueppel brothers' mother, Chari Nordgaard Knueppel, clarified that "Kager is pronounced Cage-er, as in what they used to call basketball players because they played with a cage around them."

Just putting this out there for clarification. Kager is pronounced Cage-er, as in what they used to call basketball players because they played with a cage around them. https://t.co/Yh1PS5KHgR
— Chari Nordgaard Knueppel (@ChariNKnueppel) January 18, 2025

Kager Knueppel may or may not reach a level in his development worthy of a Duke basketball offer. Only time will tell.

But should he become a Blue Devil target, Jon Scheyer and his staff would enjoy any advantages stemming from Kon Knueppel's time in Durham. That includes the fact that Kager Knueppel has already participated in preseason Countdown to Craziness festivities, as he joined his brother on Coach K Court for his formal introduction.

This article first appeared on Duke Blue Devils on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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