Kager Knueppel is on his way to Durham. The four-star forward out of Wisconsin Lutheran made his commitment to Duke public Monday night, choosing the Blue Devils just as his older brother Kon did before him—Kon having gone on to star at Duke and now play for the Charlotte Hornets.
Knueppel becomes the first member of Duke’s 2027 recruiting haul. According to 247Sports, he’s ranked No. 28 nationally and sits as the No. 5 power forward in his class.
His recruitment really took off this spring, fueled by a major growth spurt and strong showings on the Nike EYBL circuit with Team Herro. At 6-foot-10, he presents a different physical archetype than his brother, though the family’s shooting instincts are unmistakably present. Over the spring, he put up 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game while connecting on over 50% of his three-point attempts on heavy volume—numbers that cemented his status as one of the biggest risers in the 2027 class.
Kager is the second of five Knueppel brothers: Kon, Kager, Kinston, Kash, and Kidman. His mother, Chari Nordgaard Knueppel, was a legend at Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she finished as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,964 points, earned Horizon League Player of the Year honors in 1999, and saw her No. 33 jersey retired. His father, Kon Sr., made his own mark at Wisconsin Lutheran College, piling up 2,064 career points and holding the school’s all-time scoring record.
CBS Sports Director of Basketball Scouting Adam Finkelstein had high praise for Knueppel’s growth, especially his outside shooting and future positional flexibility.
“At his size, he initially looks like a classic stretch-four, but there’s emerging two-way versatility that’s become more apparent in recent months,” Finkelstein observed. “Offensively, he’s comfortable driving either direction, though he’s not a true shot-creator yet. He’s also sharp within offensive sets and throws back to an older style with the way he snaps fundamental chest-passes. Defensively, he has a deceptive first step laterally and switchable potential that’s probably underrated.
“How quickly he contributes will likely come down to how much he can improve his physical strength. His frame is still developing, but he’s already better at maintaining position on both ends than you’d anticipate.”
Knueppel picked Duke over a growing group of high-major programs, including Michigan, Purdue, and Wisconsin. But as his stock rose, many in recruiting circles saw Duke as the likely destination, given the family ties and the Blue Devils’ proven ability to maximize his kind of skillset.
Kon’s time in Durham only reinforced that perception. In his lone season with the Blue Devils, he put up 14.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, helping push the team to the Final Four alongside Cooper Flagg. His polished shooting and offensive game translated seamlessly to the pro level, where Charlotte took him with the No. 4 overall pick and he went on to earn NBA All-Rookie First Team honors.
Now, Duke is counting on the younger Knueppel to forge his own legacy.
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