Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) reacts after a play against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Is Duke's Sharpshooter the Rockets Missing Piece?

Originally posted on Houston Rockets on SI
By Alec Elijah | Last updated May 19, 2025 4:01 PM ET

Coming off a season where they ran away with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference of the NBA, the Houston Rockets ran into a wall when shots just could not drop against Golden State.

If they want to make a deeper run in next year’s NBA Playoffs, I believe it is time Houston invests in sharpshooters to go along with their fast paced and loaded roster.

As a team Houston shot 35.8% ranking No. 21 in the NBA, while their best three-point shooter came by way of Dillon Brooks who a 39.7% this season behind the arc.

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jason McIntyre of Fox Sports recently dropped a Mock Draft 2.0 which has the Rockets landing one of the best sharpshooters coming out of college basketball.

Kon Knueppel is an elite shooter off the catch. Dating back to high school he’s shooting 42% in catch and shoot situations on over 400 shot attempts. Great percentage on a high sample size.

There is little doubt in my mind that Knueppel is a top shooter in this year’s draft and… pic.twitter.com/xOHZXAXPEu
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) May 18, 2025

Duke Blue Devils Kon Knueppel is coming off an electric freshman campaign where he averaged 14.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, plus a memorable March Madness run that fell just short in the Final Four.

Knueppel notched over 40% behind the arc this season and also had the opportunity to show his skills at the NBA Combine, where he was a top performer.

Duke's Kon Knueppel made, as you might expect, a lot of shots at the Priority Sports pro day. Bunch of fun pick and roll, off screen and pullup actions showing off his movement shooting, pristine footwork and body control. pic.twitter.com/NyUExlHJg4
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 19, 2025

Knueppel’s game can mesh well with this Houston Rockets team, considering that shooting is just one facet of his game. His ability to be a playmaker, especially in the pick-and-roll scenarios, has also been a big reason why scouts consider him a lottery pick in this year’s class.

The Blue Devils guard/forward will certainly be a player Houston pays close attention to during this process, as we inch closer to the NBA Draft on June 25.

The Houston Rockets front office will have their work cut out for themselves on which player they will be selecting at No. 10, and do not be shocked to hear the name of Kon Knueppel.

This article first appeared on Houston Rockets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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