Duke makes major move for Kon Knueppel’s younger brother as recruitment heats up

Duke makes major move for Kon Knueppel’s younger brother as recruitment heats up originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Duke has already seen what one Knueppel brother can do in Durham. Now, Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils appear determined to see if lightning can strike twice.

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According to multiple recruiting reports, Duke has intensified its pursuit of 2027 standout Kager Knueppel, the younger brother of former Blue Devils star and current Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel. Associate head coach Chris Carrawell was reportedly on hand Friday to evaluate the rising prospect, underscoring Duke’s continued commitment to one of the fastest-rising players in the 2027 recruiting class.

While the Blue Devils remain firmly in the mix, Kager has made it clear that he isn’t ready to follow his older brother’s path just yet.

Kager Knueppel says recruitment isn’t “100% Duke”

Despite Duke’s early interest, Kager emphasized that he’s exploring all of his options.

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“It’s not just 100% Duke. It’s my own path, so I’ll see other schools and have interest in them,” Knueppel told Rivals.

Michigan and Purdue are among the other programs heavily involved in his recruitment, while he also owns offers from Wisconsin, DePaul and Toledo. The 6-foot-10 Wisconsin native believes he brings a different skill set than his older brother.

“I’m different because I’m longer and taller,” Kager said. “That’s obviously helped me a little bit, but then I can also get the blocks on defense, and I can shoot as well.”

That combination of size and perimeter shooting has helped make him one of the biggest risers in the 2027 class.

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Recruiting rankings continue climbing

Kager’s stock has soared in recent months. After 247Sports updated its 2027 rankings, Knueppel jumped 28 spots in the Composite rankings to…

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Publish date : 2026-06-27 23:19:00

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