“0% chance he was there to watch Duke”: College hoops fans react as kid Kon Knueppel’s selfie with Coach K resurfaces
As Duke gears up for its Final Four clash against Houston, an old photo reportedly of Kon Knueppel as a young fan has taken social media by storm. The resurfaced selfie, posted by @TheHoopHerald on X on Saturday, shows a young Knueppel at the 2015 Final Four with legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, better known as Coach K, seen crossing him.
The post reads:
“Kon Knueppel in 2015 at the Final Four watching Duke. Now, he’s starring for the Blue Devils in the Final Four. Dreams to Reality.”
While the caption celebrates Knueppel’s journey from fan to player, college basketball fans couldn’t help but point out an amusing detail: Knueppel was not wearing a blue Duke jersey, but a red (likely Wisconsin) jersey in the photo. One fan humorously remarked,
“There is a 0% chance he was there to watch Duke.”
“Those red Duke jerseys were fire,” another chimed in.
Fans continued to play along with the discovery, saying,
“Wisconsin kid in Badgers jersey who was gutted by that loss was totally dreaming about playing for Duke,” a fan wrote.
“Watching Duke? He’s clearly wearing a Wisconsin jersey” a fan commented.
Even referees got a playful mention, as another fan added:
“In a nice twist of fate, it would be fitting if Pat Driscoll showed up and screwed over Duke this time,” a fan noted.
Some took a more sentimental view, saying:
“This kid was born for this.”
Kon Knueppel, who hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has basketball in his blood. His father, also named Kon, scored over 2,000 points at Wisconsin Lutheran College and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. Knueppel Jr. attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School before joining Duke.
As Duke advances deeper into March Madness, Knueppel’s NBA draft stock is climbing. With his combination of size, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 217 pounds, he’s caught the attention of scouts around the league.
Kon Knueppel and Duke to face Houston in Final Four
Duke is set to meet Houston in the Final Four on Saturday, a game that pits two powerhouse programs against each other. Meanwhile, Houston brings its trademark defensive toughness, having taken down Tennessee to reach this stage.
The game tips off at 8:49 p.m. ET on April 5, live on CBS, from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It promises to be a high-intensity matchup between two conference champions, with a spot in the national championship game on the line.
Kon Knueppel has been a major factor in Duke’s tournament success. The freshman guard is averaging an impressive 14.4 points per game, along with 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
His reliable 3-point shooting at 40% and excellent free-throw accuracy at 91% have made him a key contributor. Knueppel has started every one of Duke’s 38 games this season, proving to be a steady presence on both ends of the floor.