Kon Knueppel can keep in mind sitting in his room on Duke‘s campus and watching the NBA Draft final June. Earlier than he received to Durham, there was just one query on his thoughts:
What can I do that summer time to indicate that I should get minutes as a freshman at Duke?
However that evening, as he watched one-and-done freshmen Reed Sheppard, Stephon Castle and Rob Dillingham get chosen within the high 10, to not point out a Duke one-and-done participant in Jared McCain land within the high 20, one thing hit Knueppel.
“After watching the draft, I mentioned to myself, ‘I need that to be me subsequent yr,'” Knueppel advised FOX Sports activities. “I began getting up at 5:30 a.m. day-after-day through the summer time besides Sundays to work as exhausting as potential. I actually, actually take pleasure in simply doing my work and getting out that further work.”
That is Knueppel, the 60-year-old caught in a 19-year-old’s physique, termed by his household as an “outdated soul” with maturity past his years. He possesses a relentless ardour that matches the requirements of Jon Scheyer and Duke in each approach and the instincts and expertise to assist a group in a wide range of methods when he is on the ground.
The oldest of 5 boys, Knueppel comes from legendary basketball genes within the state of Wisconsin. His father, Kon I, was a four-time All-Lake Michigan Convention choice at Wisconsin Lutheran Faculty, setting the college’s file for profession factors with 2,064. His mom, Chari Nordgaard Knueppel, loved an much more legendary profession, being certainly one of solely three gamers in Green Bay ladies’s basketball historical past to have her jersey retired because the Phoenix’s all-time main scorer with 1,964 profession factors.
Kon I and Chari knew they have been going to get married simply 11 days into their relationship, after which got here Kon II, who had a particular aura to him that even the nurses at Aurora Sinai Medical Heart observed.
“The day he was born, his eyes have been vibrant, large open and targeted,” Chari mentioned. “The nurses mentioned to me, ‘He seems to be like he is two months outdated already with the best way that he is you.’ He was taking all the pieces in from Day 1, simply so observant and conscious of all people. He is been that approach his entire life.”
However Knueppel’s love of basketball did not come as fast as his speedy maturation.
“When Kon was 5 and 6 years outdated, he was not into sports activities in any respect,” mentioned Jeff Nordgaard, Knueppel’s uncle on his mother’s facet, who was a second-round NBA Draft decide of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1996 earlier than taking part in largely internationally on the professional stage for 13 years. “We’re a sports activities household. However he was actually good, utilizing phrases in his vocabulary that have been past what any of the little children would say.
“We have been beginning to assume he could be a non-athlete, which was completely high quality, however nonetheless a type of issues that stunned us.”
After which, one buy made by the Knueppel household modified all the pieces:
The Nintendo Wii.
His mother and father didn’t beforehand have a online game console in the home and made it a degree to restrict these kinds of issues. However with out that Wii, Knueppel may’ve by no means developed the love for the sport of basketball he has now.
“I did not like basketball earlier than the Wii. I simply wasn’t excited about it rising up,” Knueppel mentioned. “However we received that Wii and I began taking part in NBA Jam and 2K. I fell in love with gamers. From there, I used to be passionate to seek out out as a lot as I humanly may about NBA gamers.
“My obsession most likely type of received ridiculous, however that is how I fell in love with the sport. Clearly, while you couple that with nice coaches and oldsters, they actually inspired it. However that Wii modified all of it.”
Along with his love for the Wii, Knueppel additionally developed a ardour for studying about basketball, particularly the “Huge E book of Basketball.”
“He learn the Huge E book of Basketball most likely about 4 instances, beginning when he was 10 years outdated,” Chari mentioned. “So then he needed to speak to folks about all the pieces he learn. That is simply who he’s: an outdated soul.”
Knueppel took that keenness from video video games and studying to the courtroom, and it did not take lengthy for Norgaard, who coached Knueppel in fourth and fifth grade within the AAU ranks, to know that his nephew was totally different.
“At the moment, his really feel and IQ was that of a highschool child,” Norgaard mentioned of Knueppel. “He was very expert however not overly spectacular bodily. His really feel, poise and composure, alongside together with his shotmaking, made him stand out above the remaining.”
For Knueppel, the considered taking part in basketball, particularly on the Division I stage, had by no means crossed his thoughts. He was taking part in a number of sports activities and simply embracing being a child, even when he entered the ninth grade at Wisconsin Lutheran Excessive College.
“Even going into my freshman yr of highschool, I knew I used to be an excellent participant within the state and in center college, however I nonetheless thought I would most likely find yourself taking part in Division III ball at Wisconsin Lutheran Faculty or one thing,” Knueppel mentioned. “However it grew to become evident fairly early on that I most likely might be a low-major to mid-major Division I participant. After which, I simply saved working and by the top of my freshman yr, that summer time of AAU is when issues took off for me.”
For the proud Milwaukee native, it was a visit to his hometown Marquette University‘s group camp that modified all of it.
“I simply keep in mind Shaka Sensible explaining drills for us, after which we would bounce into a few video games adopted by open observe,” Knueppel mentioned. “When our group was on the courtroom and he was explaining stuff to us, I observed he was me loads. Proper after that, one of many assistants talked to me and the subsequent day, I received a proposal over the telephone from them. After which, proper after that, I advised my mother and father I needed to get a complete lot higher as a result of I did not assume I used to be that good but.”
Two extra years glided by, and with it got here affords from Alabama, Wisconsin, Virginia, Notre Dame, USC and extra. Being from such a tight-knit household, Knueppel thought lengthy and exhausting about staying near residence.
“It was a super-tough determination as a result of I did need to keep close to residence,” Knueppel mentioned. “That was my unique thought course of — till I visited Duke. I cherished how small the campus was. There was such attraction to it, to not point out the workers being nice folks and with the ability to play on an awesome group, so I advised myself: ‘If a campus was in Milwaukee, the place would I’m going?’ In the end, that was Duke.”
Knueppel’s mother and father made it clear that the choice was as much as him, and ultimately, Duke was the clear alternative.
“When he advised us he needed to go to Duke, we mentioned ‘Why?’ And he responded: ‘I need to play in opposition to the very best gamers day-after-day in observe, as a result of that may make me higher. I need to maintain it enjoyable and taking part in on a giant stage in each sport I play in, with a soldout crowd, is a number of enjoyable.’
“The third factor was to compete for a nationwide championship. It was that easy, and we have been offered. Between taking part in highway video games in packed homes, the environment of Cameron Indoor Stadium and when you must guard Cooper Flagg or attempt to drive on Khaman Maluach or taking part in with veterans like Mason Gillis and Sion James, that is the last word take a look at.”
Quick-forward to current day, and Knueppel has loved a standout freshman season. He has helped lead the Blue Devils to a spot within the Ultimate 4, combining for 41 factors, 9 rebounds and eight assists in wins over Arizona (Candy 16) and Alabama (Elite Eight). The 6-foot-7 sharpshooting guard has proven why he is projected to be a top-10 choice on this summer time’s NBA Draft, however not all the pieces has seemed like a Hollywood film script for Knueppel this season.
“I used to be actually homesick once I received to Duke,” Knueppel mentioned. “Clearly, I am actually shut with my 4 brothers [Kager, Kinston, Kash and Kid] so I missed them. However you recognize, I used to be in a position to actually lean into basketball, and I used to be within the fitness center on a regular basis in the summertime, leaning into the fellows, managers and coaches. Finally, I received snug.”
Knueppel relied upon his classmates: Flagg, Muluach and Darren Harris, together with a sixth-year grad pupil in Neal Begovic, who Knueppel received to know when he went on a go to to Stanford as a sophomore in highschool.
“Neal actually helped me,” Knueppel mentioned. “He is an awesome buddy and received me accustomed to school life. He invited me over each Sunday to look at soccer. These kinds of issues actually helped.”
Knueppel’s highway to being one of many high stars heading into this yr’s Ultimate 4 has been a captivating one. He began his faculty profession with 22 factors on 8-for-14 taking pictures from the ground in opposition to Maine. Two video games later in opposition to Kentucky, he was performed in by a 5-for-20 displaying in a loss. In Duke’s win over Auburn in early December, he solely took three photographs. Nonetheless, in his final 13 video games, Knueppel has notched 14-or-more factors in all however certainly one of them, the Blue Devils’ first-round event win over Mount St. Mary’s.
“I feel a number of it’s studying,” Chari mentioned. “I feel you are in a distinct place in faculty as a freshman in December than you’re in March and April. He had a number of nice folks serving to him to be aggressive and to play extra freely. The workers desires him to try this and I feel he is gotten higher and higher at that because the yr’s gone on.
“I like 5-for-22 higher than 2-for-3, personally. However there have been positively ups and downs, ebbs and flows to a school season, however that made him stronger, and now he is received two video games left to let it fly in a Duke uniform.”
Knueppel has been taking part in his greatest basketball of the season as late, taking pictures 11-for-22 from the ground and 4-of-6 from 3-point territory over his final two video games. His presence for this Duke group on each ends of the ground is important as a result of he performs largely mistake-free basketball whereas being a stable defensive presence and a greater passer than the numbers present.
“This man’s a stud proper right here,” Scheyer mentioned of Knueppel on the TBS postgame interview after Duke’s 85-65 East Regional Ultimate win over Alabama. “He is the last word warrior, competitor, and he actually carried us all through tonight.
“Kon’s versatility is large for us, and his measurement. He is in a position to cross. He is in a position to end. You are feeling he is all the time going to get off an excellent look as a result of he has nice pivots within the paint and nice persistence.”
That aggressive nature comes from rising up in a blue-collar family, with Chari operating a daycare since 2006 and Kon I working as a faculty counselor within the Milwaukee public faculties system. Chari does have plans to retire this summer time to give attention to all of her 5 boys and their busy basketball schedules.
“We knew we needed a number of children and we had 5 in 5 and a half years,” Chari mentioned with fun. “I definitely wasn’t paying for daycare with how a lot that was going to price, so I made a decision to remain residence and run the daycare.”
Even when operating that daycare, although, Chari was motivating her youngsters to hit the fitness center to get extra photographs up.
“I’m actually fierce about attending to the fitness center day-after-day,” Char saidi. “My husband may typically be like, ‘Hey, they already had observe. They already received their carry in. Cannot we give them the break day?’ And I am like, ‘No approach!’ We will get at the least 100 photographs up. We’re for certain doing that.”
That work ethic instilled within the Knueppel boys is what drives them to be nice, and in return, has created a dilemma heading into Ultimate 4 Week. Kager, 17, and Kinston, 16, each have their opening weekend of AAU ball. Whereas mother thought it might be greatest for the 2 boys to hitch their youthful brothers for Saturday’s showdown with Houston, the ever-competitive Kon II stepped in.
“I all the time say, ‘You do not miss basketball to look at basketball,’ Knueppel mentioned. “I get it is the Ultimate 4, but when they need to play the sport, I feel they need to play. I feel they’re relying on us to get it performed on Saturday, however that is going to be an absolute battle.”
However Chari and Kon I’s parenting goes past educating their youngsters about having an accurate work ethic. Having character and powerful ethical and moral qualities is extraordinarily vital to Knueppel, who can be very hooked up to his religion.
“When Duke was taking part in Louisville within the ACC Match, the Louisville power coach requested all of our managers who was the very best participant to them? Who was it that handled them the very best? And so they all mentioned Kon,” Chari mentioned. “After Kon received the ACC Match MVP, he texted his dad and I saying, ‘I simply needed to share this little nugget with you.’ And we have been extra proud about that than the ACC MVP.
“For his dad and I, that is what actually issues to us. Which means greater than something that has to do with basketball, that you are a good Christian and that you just deal with folks the appropriate approach.”
As for what lies forward for Knueppel on the basketball courtroom, it is a date with a Houston group that enters the Ultimate 4 having received 30 of its final 31 video games whereas proudly owning the No. 1-ranked protection in America and holding Tennessee to fifteen factors within the first half, the fewest by a top-2 seed in NCAA Match historical past.
Knueppel introduced up how a lot he has admired Houston’s DNA over time.
“They’re machines, man,” Knueppel mentioned. “They play for him. They only play so exhausting and it’s totally, very admirable watching them play. Typically it is not the prettiest offensively, however it would not matter one bit as a result of they play so exhausting on protection. L.J. Cryer can fill it up and on the boards. They’re unreal.”
Not unhealthy for a scouting report from Knueppel. Not unhealthy for a child who thought he could be fortunate to get a D3 supply as a freshman in highschool, solely to turn out to be a five-star prospect and one of the vital sought-after recruits within the nation. Not unhealthy for an outdated soul who has those self same large eyes born out of Aurora Sinai Hospital set on a nationwide championship.
John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in a wide range of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Discipline of 68 Media Community. Observe him at @John_Fanta.
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