“One of the best dunks I’ve seen in a while”: Cooper Flagg heaps praise for fellow Duke freshman Kon Knueppel
Duke freshman sensation Cooper Flagg praised fellow five-star player Kon Knueppel for his thunderous dunk in the second half of the Blue Devils' 107-56 win over Lincoln at the Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday.
Knueppel had already lit up the hoops in the first half with five 3-pointers that handed Duke a comfortable 56-34 lead. With over 15 minutes remaining in the game, he made a one-handed jam, extending the Blue Devils' advantage to 27 points.
The moment led to a thunderous ovation by the pro-Duke fans in the stadium and Flagg called Knueppel's dunk crazy.
"I mean it was crazy. That was one of the best dunks I've seen in a while," Flagg said. (2:04-onwards)
The top freshman recruit in the class of 2024 added that the 6-foot-7 player's high-leaping skills didn't surprise him.
"He's extremely bouncy, people don't give him enough credit," Flagg said of Knueppel's jumping skills (2:16-onwards).
Knueppel finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and five rebounds in 25 minutes.
Cooper Flagg surprised by Kon Knueppel's other abilities on the court
Duke first-year forward Cooper Flagg admitted he was surprised about Kon Knueppel's other abilities on the court. He pointed out that Knueppel uses his body well to get in position on the paint and he's physical enough to bump off players back to the basket.
"I knew he (Kon Knueppel) was very skilled, could shoot it very well but I didn't know how good he was with using his body. He uses his body really well getting in the paint, bumping people back to the basket. He really excels in that area and it really opens up his game," Flagg said. (2:23-onwards)
Knueppel has shown the potential of shining behind the shadows of highly touted teammates Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach with ESPN NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony citing the small forward as the best player on the floor during intrasquad scrimmages. Givony views the Wisconsin Lutheran product as one of the best snipers in the ACC.
The 6-foot-7 player is also a good finisher and a heady player, using his 3-point shooting threat to force opponents to commit to him and then drive to the basket for an open shot. He is also a good decision-maker when it comes to passing, as his eyes are sharp when he seeks to locate an open teammate for a better shot.
Kon Knueppel's skills will be tested again in Duke's exhibition game against Arizona State on Oct. 27. He will have his first official game on Nov. 4 against Maine.