It's never surprising when a former Blue Devil finds themselves in the first round of an NBA Mock Draft. However, Kon Knueppel's postseason surge on draft boards has been one of note, currently projected to go within the top five picks.
A lot of draft experts have been leaning toward Knueppel joining the Charlotte Hornets, who currently hold the No. 4 overall pick. Yet, just a day before the Draft began, rumors started to explode that the Hornets were looking to trade their top-five pick for an already tried and true player in the league.
Many are pointing to RJ Barrett and pick No. 9 from the Toronto Raptors as a great option for Charlotte, leaving questions as to where Knueppel will actually land.
Yes, going to Charlotte could be a great fit for Knueppel, but at the end of the day, it's hard to pass up on a player like Barrett (yes, the very one who also played at Duke) and a pick still within the top 10 for an unproven rookie.
This could lead to the Hornets targeting a player like Ace Bailey, from Rutgers, instead of Knueppel. Don't worry, this doesn't mean that one of Duke's golden boys will undeniably be heading to Canada; there are a ton of teams who have expressed interest in Knueppel.
The Hornets are very open to the idea of trading back from No. 4 overall for future assets.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 24, 2025
Charlotte likes the prospect options presented to them in the 4-8 range, which is ideal for a trade-down scenario.
This could turn into a prime spot for a team interested in Ace Bailey. pic.twitter.com/iRqSuNW2tb
2025 NBA Draft first round order
- Dallas Mavericks
- San Antonio Spurs
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Charlotte Hornets
- Utah Jazz
- Washington Wizards
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors
- Houston Rockets (from Phoenix, part of the Kevin Durant trade)
Knueppel is projected to go within the top five, but it is currently unlikely that the Spurs or 76ers would draft the former Blue Devil, as neither team is in big need of a guard. However, the Hornets and the Jazz could both benefit greatly from picking up a collegiate star like Knueppel.
Knueppel's teammate Cooper Flagg is going to go first overall; that's as close to an undeniable fact as possible. Then, it wouldn't be surprising if former Duke center Khaman Maluach also hears his name within the first 10 picks as well.
Simply put, despite the 2025 NBA Draft being less than 36 hours away, there are a lot of unknowns for a majority of the draft class, Knueppel and Maluach included.