Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) shoots against Houston Cougars guard Mylik Wilson (8) in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Watch: Potential 76ers Draft Target Shows Off Shooting Prowess

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Kevin McCormick | Last updated May 20, 2025 3:24 PM ET

After a season full of injuries and disarray, the Philadelphia 76ers had some good fortune go their way in the draft lottery. Not only did they retain their selection, but they climbed up to the third overall pick.

Similar to the Dallas Mavericks, who climbed to No. 1, the Sixers have a chance to drastically improve their short and long-term outlook. Their roster already has multiple All-Stars on it, and now they'll be infusing exciting young talent via the draft.

With the third pick, the Sixers are going to have a wide range of touted prospects to pick from. Among them will be forward Kon Knueppel. While Cooper Flagg got most of the attention at Duke last year, he still stood out enough to become a lottery-level talent.

The main area where Knueppel excelled at Duke was his outside shooting. He is arguably one of the best shooters in the 2025 class, and he solidified that with a strong showing at the Draft Combine in Chicago.

Kon Knueppel — SHOOTER pic.twitter.com/1CeRilWWHD
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) May 16, 2025

During his lone season at Duke, Knueppel averaged 14.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.7 APG in 39 matchups. He also converted 40.6% of his threes while attempting over five a game.

In terms of fit, Knueppel is someone who could seamlessly come in and play a key role for the Sixers from day one. He is an effective outside shooter who is very comfortable moving around without the ball. Knueppel could make defenses pay with his shooting while the team develops his secondary ball-handling and shot creation long-term.

Seeing that he provides a key complementary skill set to the roster's current core, Knueppel is someone the Sixers should be taking a good long look at in the next few weeks.