Knueppel’s offensive ceiling is intriguing to NBA teams
Name: Kon Knueppel
Class: Freshman
Height: 6-7
Position: Wing
Statistics: 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. 43.2% FG, 34.3% 3PT, 95.2% FT
Kon Knueppel is a 6-7 freshman small forward whose greatest draft appeal lies as a scorer. He’s projected to go in the lottery according to most draft boards because teams think he has the potential to put the ball in the basket at a high level.
As of now, it remains to be seen just how high his offensive ceiling can be. Scoring 12 points per game as a freshman is nothing to sneeze at but to score at the level needed to justify a Top 10 pick, he will have to start knocking down shots at a higher rate.
Anyone who hasn’t watched Knueppel play may see those shooting percentages and question why teams are so high on him. But when you watch him play, you begin to see the makings of an elite bucket-getter.
He’s not the most athletic or dynamic player but he just manages to get to whatever spots he wants on the courts and forces defenses to adjust to his pace. Knueppel’s also strong for a freshman so defenders aren’t able to move him off of his spots. He reminds me of Kawhi Leonard in the way he uses his frame to displace defenders and then rises up over them.
Strong take from Kon Knueppel at the end of the 1st half https://t.co/xGtAW48cJM pic.twitter.com/bDxKjAgu3F
— Matt Modderno (@MattModderno) December 18, 2024
Knueppel is getting the looks he and his team want him to get, now he just needs them to drop. Watching him in person leaves little doubt he’ll end up a high-level perimeter shooter. His form is exactly what you’d want from a shooter as evidenced by his 95% free-throw shooting.
The defensive end is the bigger question mark for Knueppel. He isn’t quick laterally so he’s going to have to use his strength and basketball IQ to make up for that. Currently, Knueppel gets by with a lot of hand-checking that won’t fly at the NBA level. However, continued time in an NBA strength and conditioning program, film study, and more coaching should help him find ways to get by without relying on that.
It’s hard to stay on the floor in the NBA Playoffs if you can’t play on both sides of the ball so for Knueppel to justify a lottery pick he’ll either have to be so good offensively that teams are willing to overlook his potential defensive shortcomings or find a way to at least not be hunted by opposing scorers. Based on the players the Wizards’ front office has drafted so far, Knueppel doesn’t seem to offer the same two-way potential they value at the top of the draft.
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