Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg began their NBA careers this year, with the former Duke teammates both landing in the Top 5 of this year's draft. Flagg went to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 1 overall, while Knueppel was taken by the Charlotte Hornets at No.

Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 overall draft pick in late June. Two more Blue Devils came off the board as lottery picks. One of them, Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel, became MVP of the NBA 2K26 Summer League championship game on Sunday night.

Duke’s Kon Knueppel (7) drives past Arizona’s KJ Lewis (5) during the second half of Duke’s 69-55 victory over Arizona at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Ariz., Friday, Nov. 22, 2024.

The Hornets already have LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller. If Knueppel can join them as an effective-out-of-the-gates third perimeter piece, that's a team that can win a solid total of games in the banged-up Eastern Conference.

Duke’s Kon Knueppel (7) drives past Arizona’s KJ Lewis (5) during the second half of Duke’s 69-55 victory over Arizona at the McKale Memorial Center in Tucson, Ariz., Friday, Nov. 22, 2024.

One of Knueppel’s biggest strengths is his perimeter shooting. During his only year at Duke, he shot 40.9% from beyond the arc on 5.3 attempts per game. If this can translate to the next level, he should be able to carve out a nice role in the NBA.

Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel received a pleasant surprise during a recent interview with Taylor Rooks for Bleacher Report. Knueppel has stated in the past that he hopes to model his game after Klay Thompson's and received a special message from the Dallas Mavericks star, via Rooks.