Jon Scheyer and Duke are, as expected, taking home run swings in the 2027 recruiting class with the likes of CJ Rosser and the recently offered Beckham Black, but one 2027 prospect has already been written off as a Duke commitment before making a decision.
4-star forward Kager Knueppel, the younger brother of former Duke star and current Charlotte Hornets standout Kon Kuneppel, picked up an offer from the Blue Devils last month, and it has felt that Scheyer and company have paced his recruitment ever since.
While Knueppel isn't yet as highly regarded as his brother was in the recruiting process, he may be well on his way. He has shot up the rankings recently, growing from 6-foot-7 to nearly 6-foot-10, while emerging as one of the best shooters (shocking, right?) in the 2027 class. The Milwaukee product is now ranked as the No. 79 overall player in the 247 composite and a consensus 4-star recruit.
Knueppel's rise has coincided with a ridiculous run on the Nike EYBL circuit, where he is shooting over 50% from three. If that shot-making continues, combined with his elite size, it won't be surprising to see him keep climbing the rankings.
Clarity on his recruitment could come sooner rather than later, too.
Kager Knueppel plans to commit before the start of his high school basketball season
Duke should be considered the favorite in Knueppel's recruitment, but he made sure to note in a recent interview with Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) that he was not "100%" heading to Durham. He wants to write his own ticket, not just necessarily follow in his brother's footsteps. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to read between the lines of his statements to know Duke has a sizeable lead in his recruitment.
"It's not just 100 percent Duke," Knueppel said to KSR, via Matt Giles of Duke on SI. "I'm still gonna — like, it's my own path, so I'll see other schools and have interest in them...We don't have a specific date, but Duke is trying to get us down to go on a visit, and I think Michigan, maybe...
"I think [my decision] is gonna happen sooner than later, so not all the way until the high school season, but closer to that."
The high school season is just over six months away, so a decision should be made within that timeline. He'll undoubtedly take a visit to Duke, though he doesn't really need to. He's spent plenty of time on that campus with his brother going through the recruiting process before him and then playing for the Blue Devils. He's quite familiar with Durham.
"I've been down there a lot of times, and it's super fun," Knueppel said.
With Knueppel's meteoric rise in the rankings, there will be other teams trying to make a major push in his recruitment to throw a wrench in Duke's plans.
But with Scheyer clearly making him a priority, it's tough to see another program being able to overtake the Blue Devils.
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