The scouting community has been way behind on Kager Knueppel. Fortunately for Duke fans, Jon Scheyer was not.
The younger brother of former Duke star Kon Knueppel, Scheyer made him a priority early on in the recruiting process, and it paid off with a commitment at the end of June. There's little anxiety about his pledge in the future; he's Duke through and through.
It seemed like only a matter of time before a guy standing at 6-foot-10 was showing the shot-making ability of Knueppel - he shot over 50% from three during the Nike EYBL circuit this spring/summer - would start to rise in the recruiting rankings.
Knueppel's rise started before his commitment to Duke, but it has kept going in the aftermath. After Rivals updated their rankings this week, Knueppel has risen from a sub-100-ranked prospect to now being a composite 5-star.
Duke commitment Kager Knueppel earns 5-star status after latest ranking update
Rivals moved Knueppel all the way up to No. 14 in their update. His composite ranking is now at No. 23, which earned him a 5th star.
It was only a matter of time before it happened. Knueppel's game is too smooth and too advanced. With his shooting and size, he has the potential to be every bit the prospect his older brother was, if not better.
Anyone who thought Knueppel was just a throw-in for this recruiting class was wrong. He's an elite prospect who could ultimately be the headliner of the class if his rise continues.
Scheyer and the Blue Devils will continue big-game hunting in the 2027 class, but Knueppel gives them a strong base to build upon.
Duke has handed out three other offers in the 2027 class so far. They are in pursuit of two elite backcourt options in 5-stars Beckham Black and Adan Diggs. They've also recently offered 5-star rim-protecting center Lewis Uvwo.
Scheyer has consistently landed elite classes in Durham. Duke has signed three consecutive No. 1 recruiting classes, including the 2026 cycle that included four 5-star prospects in Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Cameron Williams, Deron Rippey Jr., and Bryson Howard.
The early commitment for Knueppel has Scheyer on the path to potentially make it four straight No. 1 classes. Duke sits at No. 10 in the composite with just the one commitment, and if they can add Uvwo and even just one of the two guards, then it will be difficult for any other class to exceed what the Blue Devils put together.
Add us as a preferred source on Google