Cooper Flagg’s NBA Draft Decision Domino Might Have Just Fallen as Kon Knueppel Beats Him to the Punch
The basketball world has had its eyes glued to Cooper Flagg for over a year now. The Duke phenom and projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has been hyped, dissected, and followed at every turn—on the court, off the court, and everywhere in between. Flagg’s every move draws headlines, from high school dominance to elite prep performances to his anticipated one-and-done campaign in Durham. And yet, with all the fanfare surrounding him, someone else may have just beaten him to the most significant decision of his young career: entering the NBA Draft. That someone is Kon Knueppel.
Knueppel, the 6-foot-6 shooting guard from Milwaukee, stunned the basketball community with his announcement that he would be declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft after a single season at Duke. While Knueppel’s name doesn’t carry quite the same weight as Flagg’s on the national stage, the ripple effect of his decision might be much bigger than people realize—especially in relation to Flagg’s own draft decision. This isn’t just a matter of who declared first. It’s a signal that the wheels are turning inside the Duke program, and Flagg’s camp may soon be forced to act faster than expected.
To understand the full implications, one has to first appreciate the situation at Duke. The Blue Devils were built around Flagg this past season, and rightfully so. He arrived with unprecedented expectations and managed to live up to nearly all of them. From his defensive versatility to his scoring flashes to his quiet but undeniable leadership, Flagg showed NBA scouts exactly what they hoped to see: a future franchise cornerstone with both the skill set and the mental makeup to handle the pressure that comes with being a top pick. But Flagg never publicly committed to a one-and-done route. In fact, whispers had surfaced that he might consider staying a second year at Duke, particularly if NIL money and the right roster situation made it appealing enough. That possibility, however slim, kept a certain level of suspense alive. Knueppel’s decision may have just ended it.
By declaring now, Knueppel has not only stated his own intentions but also shifted the dynamic within the Blue Devils’ locker room. For a program that brought in one of the most talented freshman classes in the country, each domino that falls tightens the window on collective team decisions. NBA teams, media members, and agents all watch these announcements with the understanding that they rarely happen in a vacuum. They create context. And for Flagg, the context is changing.
Knueppel’s move might not seem like a big deal at first glance. He was productive for Duke, yes, but he didn’t dominate headlines or mock drafts the way Flagg did. Yet, he showed flashes of an elite shot-maker with positional versatility, and his basketball IQ is off the charts. Scouts love his fit in today’s NBA, especially given his unselfish style and ability to play within a system. While he may not project as a top-10 pick, he could easily find himself in the lottery with the right combine performance and team interviews. But more importantly, Knueppel was part of the brotherhood of this Duke team—he was a stabilizing force and a close on-court ally of Flagg. His decision to move on signals that the band is breaking up.
And when the band starts breaking up, the star soloist usually doesn’t hang around. Flagg is as competitive as they come. He wants to play against the best, develop at the highest level, and prove he’s ready to be the face of an NBA franchise. With Knueppel gone, and other players likely to follow, the roster around Flagg at Duke next season will look significantly different. That alone may push him toward declaring sooner rather than later. Even if there was a world in which Flagg entertained staying, that world seems to be fading fast.
Another layer to this is the way NBA franchises operate. Teams looking at the top of the draft want clarity. They want to know who’s in, who’s out, and who’s worth trading up for. If Knueppel’s announcement opens the door for more Duke declarations in the coming days, teams might start to increase the pressure on Flagg’s camp to make it official. After all, the No. 1 overall pick isn’t just a player—it’s a marketing strategy, a future, and an investment of the highest order. The last thing a team wants is uncertainty. If Knueppel’s early move signals that Flagg is next, that timeline accelerates everything else.
There’s also the simple reality of momentum. In the world of college basketball, especially with NIL and transfer decisions happening so rapidly, timing matters more than ever. Players declaring for the draft are doing so with a purpose—not just to test the waters, but to strike while the buzz is still hot. Knueppel clearly believes that his stock is strong, and he doesn’t want to wait. That same urgency could apply to Flagg. Even though he’s the consensus top pick, staying too long—especially if the Duke roster reshapes in a less competitive way—could risk injury, stagnation, or even questions about motivation. The smart move might simply be to go now, while the hype is highest and the risks are lowest.
The relationship between Flagg and Knueppel also shouldn’t be understated. The two were close during the season, both in terms of chemistry on the court and their off-court respect for each other’s work ethic and values. If Knueppel believes he’s ready for the next step, it wouldn’t be surprising if that decision was discussed in conversations with Flagg behind the scenes. Players like Flagg often have a plan mapped out, but they also adapt based on those around them. Seeing someone you trust take the leap can often be the final push needed.
Of course, Flagg doesn’t owe the basketball world anything. If he wanted to stay another year and continue to enjoy the college experience, he absolutely could. He’s already made waves in the NIL space, and Duke would still be a contender next season if he returned, even with Knueppel’s departure. But for someone so clearly destined for the NBA, the scales are starting to tip. Knueppel’s early jump might be more than just a roster move—it might be a symbolic passing of the torch, from one Duke standout to another, signaling the end of an era and the start of a new one.
When history looks back on the 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg will almost certainly be the headline. But it’s possible that Knueppel ends up playing a critical role in how that story unfolds. By being the first big-name Duke freshman to declare, he may have set the wheels in motion for Flagg to follow. And once that domino falls, the rest of the draft landscape will shift with it.
It’s not every year that college basketball sees a player like Cooper Flagg. He’s not just talented—he’s transformative. His presence elevates teammates, commands attention, and defines the trajectory of an entire program. But even the most promising stars eventually outgrow the college stage. And thanks to Kon Knueppel’s timely decision, Flagg’s moment of truth may have just arrived a little sooner than expected.
Now all eyes turn back to Cooper. The basketball world is waiting—not just to see what he’ll decide, but to see how the sport will shift when he finally makes that decision. Because when someone of Flagg’s caliber makes a move, it doesn’t just impact one team or one draft. It changes everything. And thanks to a quiet, confident sharpshooter from Milwaukee, the countdown to that change may have just begun.
