This weekend in Indianapolis, Duke coaches have been circling the five Nike EYBL Session 2.
Among the up-and-coming talent, though, one performance caught our attention: that of sophomore Kager Knueppel, the younger brother of Duke freshman Kon Knueppel.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer came courtside to watch him play up close.
Scheyer’s surprise visit shows Duke is already evaluating Kager for its 2027 recruiting class, possibly maintaining the Knueppel family pipeline in Durham as scouts from Arkansas and other states waited.
Kon averaged 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 47.9% from the field, 40.6% from three, and 91.4% from the free-throw line in all 39 of the Blue Devils’ games played last season.
Kager, who is 6-foot-8, has long arms, is a natural guard, and has basketball ancestry.
His mother, Chari, is still the all-time top scorer at UW-Green Bay, while his father, Kon, was the all-time top scorer at Wisconsin Lutheran College until 2019.
Prior to becoming a standout at Duke, Kager’s older brother Kon was a five-star recruit.
Kager played with Kon at Wisconsin Lutheran, where he helped the Lancers win the WIAA Division 2 state title in 2024 and go unbeaten (30-0).
Over 30 games with the Lancers in 2024–25, Kager averaged 13.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 37.2% from three-point range and 54.5% from the field.
Although Toledo made the initial Division I offer, Scheyer’s prominent position indicates the Duke’s sincere desire.
After winning their first four games in the NCAA Tournament and finishing the 2024–25 season 35–4, the Blue Devils lost to Houston 70–67 in the Final Four.
