Wildcard Duke prospect should make 76ers consider trading down in the draft

While he may not have the lure of a big-name prospect such as Ace Bailey, nor the flash and athleticism of V.J. Edgecombe, Kon Knueppel has emerged as a wildcard prospect for the Philadelphia 76ers. Some are higher on his NBA ceiling than others, which has sparked great debate within the fandom across social media. While selecting Knueppel with the third overall pick would be seen as a reach by many, his promising offensive skill set could entice the 76ers to listen to trade-down offers. 

Knueppel is entering the 2025 NBA Draft as a one-and-one guard from Duke who put together a compelling freshman campaign alongside Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Tyrese Proctor. Starting in all 39 games he played in, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points per game on 64.2% true-shooting, four rebounds per game, and 2.7 assists per game. In a vacuum, these numbers don’t scream “lottery pick”, but it’s essential to remember that he played in more of a supportive role in a team drenched with NBA-level talent. 

At the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, Knueppel measured in at 6’ 5 without shoes and totaled 219 pounds, which ranked 25th out of 72 participants. He recorded a 6’ 6.25 wingspan and an 8’ 5.5 standing reach, both of which rank below 45th, as referenced by Adam Aaronson of Philly Voice. When discussing Knueppel’s trajectory in the NBA, his athleticism is the most significant negative focal point. Still, it isn't the end-all-be-all as Knueppel, with his size and height, can slot in as a shooting guard or small forward at the NBA level.  

Knueppel is not just typical three-point specialist

What makes Knueppel such an enticing prospect is his feel for the game on both ends and his complementary skill set to lead creators. To be impactful as a non-first option, a player needs to move without the ball and few better lottery-bound prospects do so better than Knueppel. In his lone season with the Blue Devils, he mastered maneuvering through off-ball screens to get easy spot-up opportunities from the wings and corner. He shot 43.3% on catch-and-shoot threes and 38.5% from deep off screens this past season. 

However, Knueppel is more than a typical motion shooter with limited athleticism, despite the lingering stereotype. He’s shown the ability to flow into pick-and-roll actions after curling off flare screens where he excelled at getting downhill to either create an advantage or score at the rim in limited opportunities. Knueppel is also a great connective passer, whether it’s making a simple swing pass from the perimeter or finding a cutter in transition. 

Between all these skills, it’s evident that Knueppel can steadily play within the flow of an offense, which is something that can’t be said about all rookies. Still, his red flags as a shot-creator warrant some skepticism about how high his ceiling truly is. Knueppel shot just 32.8% off the dribble in his lone season with the Blue Devils. While Knueppel proved that he can overpower college-level defenders at the rim with his physicality, one has to wonder how and if this can translate to the NBA.

Defensively, Knueppel has a high motor and solid IQ, which makes him a capable point-of-attack defender in most matchups. Regardless, his questionable athleticism may also hold him back in this aspect as well, especially when defending the Anthony Edwards’ and the Jaylen Browns of the world. Knueppel’s screen navigation, both on and off the ball, will need to improve, but with his willingness to do the dirty work and be a high-level competitor, perhaps he’ll be at least a neutral defender in most instances. 

What would his fit with the 76ers look like?

With Knueppel’s strengths and weaknesses outlined, he would undoubtedly be a great fit in Philadelphia, especially as a reserve drive-and-kick option alongside its star trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George. His lethal spot-up shooting and pick-and-roll chops would add an interesting dynamic to a 76ers offense that needs major innovation. With less of an offensive burden, Knueppel’s weaknesses would be masked and he would thrive off of Embiid’s interior gravity and perhaps develop elite dribble handoff chemistry with him as well.

Knueppel has one of the more promising floors amongst his peers, which would make him a safer lottery pick compared to someone like Ace Bailey. Still, from what we’ve seen, Knueppel’s maximum potential is likely that of a high-level starter who could make an all-star team or two. With the third overall pick, a team must seek out a player with franchise-altering upside and I don’t believe Knueppel possesses that. Due to this, if the 76ers are interested in Knueppel, they should look to trade down to draft him while picking up a quality rotational player in the process. 

With the hope that these words don’t haunt me throughout the next 10-15 years, Knueppel would be lower than Bailey and Edgecombe in my theoretical 76ers big board. Still, there is a place in the NBA for the Duke product and if he’s able to overcome his limitations, I could end up eating my words. Above all, Knueppel is not just a three-point shooter. Between his high-level passing and developing pick-and-roll instincts, he is one of the more dynamic players in the class. The question is how much of that is translatable with such concerns for his athleticism.