Kon Knueppel - NBA Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

After missing out on the Flagg sweepstakes, Utah selects the teammate of the future No. 1 overall pick out of Duke. Knueppel is a sharpshooter who would be an immediate contributor for the Jazz from Day 1. If this is how the board shakes out, I could see Utah deciding between Knueppel and Johnson.

Knueppel climbed draft boards throughout the year and established himself as a likely lottery pick, with his shooting and ability to facilitate offenses. He is reportedly on the mend from a sprained ankle, preventing him from participating in on-court drills at the combine, though the 19-year-old is hopeful to resume workouts by the end of the week. He'd likely benefit from team workouts and interviews to show his overall game outside of his shooting, but he appears to be a lock to go in the 7-14 range.

The Pelicans have already made substantive changes to their organization, firing David Griffin and hiring Joe Dumars to run basketball operations. The word out of New Orleans is simply not to expect the roster to look the same as it did this year.

They'll be disappointed to fall in the lottery, but I love this slot for them if they can end up with Knueppel, a bigger shooter who is competitive and tough. He has a case as the best shooter in the class along with Johnson, and his overall game was more impactful this season. They're right next to each other on my board. He also has more ball skills than you think, especially in ball screens, and was better defensively than he got credit for being. This works really well regardless of the direction the team decides to go in the future. Knueppel is the kind of big shooter who is almost scheme- and roster-proof.

Pro Comparisons: Cameron Johnson, Kevin Huerter, Corey Kispert, Saddiq Bey

Kon Knueppel has the type of consistent shooting stroke that could mesmerize during predraft workouts. And while shooting remains the No. 1 selling point, the pick-and-roll passing, driving efficiency and IQ plays create more versatility and perceived upside.

Team Fit: — The Nets are focused strictly on drafting the best player available. Knueppel has separated himself from being labeled "just a shooter" with his passing, driving and IQ.

Scouting report: Despite his modest athletic profile, Knueppel grew on NBA teams as the season moved on, producing consistently and authoring several impressive NCAA tournament performances that highlighted his value as a skilled, versatile wing who can do a bit of everything on both ends of the floor.

He made 41% of his 3s in a variety of ways but also demonstrated his ability to handle and pass out of pick-and-roll and hold his own defensively. NBA teams are eager to see his measurements and get a better gauge on how much his lack of explosiveness and quickness puts a ceiling on his upside, even if his outstanding feel for the game should be able to carry him far. -- Givony

NBA intel and fit: The Nets pivoted in a new direction at last year's draft with the Mikal Bridges trade and are now armed with four first-round picks, as well as significant salary cap space, to jump-start their rebuild in earnest. It will be interesting to see which direction the Nets go in this offseason, as they have the flexibility to attempt to pivot toward winning quickly but could also opt for a longer rebuild with another top-heavy draft coming in 2026.

They might be disappointed to drop a few spots in the draft from No. 6 to No. 8, but they remain in the back end of a range where clear talent still exists, and they have the pieces to potentially move back up the board if they decide to get aggressive. -- Givony

Knueppel didn't seem like an obvious one-and-done at first blush with limited length and explosiveness for an NBA wing, but his toughness, shooting, and secondary creation skills started building his top-10 hype from the moment he entered Duke. Knueppel is the type of perimeter player who fills in all the cracks in a lineup construction. He's arguably the best shooting bet in this class after canning 40.6 percent of his threes on 207 attempts and 91.4 percent of his free throws. Knueppel can also run pick-and-roll in a pinch, and proved he can throw a killer lob to the roll man during his season with Maluach. If Knueppel actually measures at the 6'7 he was listed at by Duke, his versatile offensive game is appealing enough to make up for his athletic limitations.

While he lacks flash, Knueppel is the type of player who causes your dad to lean over, elbow you in the ribs, point at the screen, and say, "Did you see the way he read that screen?" I did not expect that elbowing to be going on in Salt Lake City, but here we are. The biggest dreams die the hardest, but once the coping sets in, they'll see that Knueppel isn't exactly what they wanted, but in many ways he'll be something that they need. One doesn't have to watch long to get a feel for Kon's impact: He shoots it well enough that a defense will need to track his whereabouts with constant vigilance, and even if defenders run him down, he's sturdy as vibranium in the paint playing off two feet. Knueppel will face a learning curve on the defensive end, but he should be able to develop in Will Hardy's system.

Knueppel finished as a 40% 3-point shooter and averaged 14.4 points per game on a Duke team that won 35 games and made the Final Four. He'd make a fine addition to Washington for a Wizards team heading in the right direction.

Knueppel brings more than just a sharpshooter's stroke to the Jazz thanks to his brainy pick-and-roll playmaking and crafty scoring feel. Pairing him with Lauri Markkanen works because Knueppel can simply fit with anyone. There could be some untapped upside in him too, since he's got a slick midrange bag and strength scoring inside. To become a player that takes over games though, he'll need to overcome his average athleticism.