Both of Kon's parents were renowned basketball players.
Kon Knueppel is another Duke player who made headlines with his MVP-level performance in the ACC Tournament. The Duke freshman got selected as the No. 4 pick by the Charlotte Hornets and they didn’t trade the pick. He was named the MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament last season When Cooper Flagg missed the last two games of the ACC Tournament with a sprained ankle. Knueppel stepped in for the Blue Devils, who beat No. 13 Louisville 73-62 to win their second championship in three seasons.
The Duke freshman averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists on 48.7% shooting over three games in the 2025 ACC Tournament. In March Madness, he averaged 19 points while shooting 63.6% from beyond the arc. Knueppel is one of the most skilled shooter in the draft.
Knueppel always had a chance of getting picked in the top five on draft night and got selected as No. 3. He has excellent perimeter shooting and immediate on-court utility. The Hornets picked a right player and he will surely add a big value to their offensive strength.
Also Read: A Week After His Visit, Cooper Flagg Poised to Be Dallas Mavericks’ Top Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
Here’s everything you know about Knueppel’s parents, who supported the Hornets rookie in a journey to become a NBA player.
Kon Knueppel was born on August 3rd, 2005, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His parents are Chani and Kon Knueppel I, who are American Nationals. Both of Kon’s parents were renowned basketball players.
The Duke star is the product of athletic nepotism but he is finding his roots in basketball with his brilliance. Kon Knueppel is one of five brothers and he is the oldest one. Kager is the second oldest in the Knueppel brothers, followed by Kinston, Kash, and Kid.
Kon Knueppel’s actual progress in basketball started with his mother Chari Nordgaard. She played four seasons for the Green Bay Phoenix Women’s Team from 1995 to 1999. In 1995, she was awarded as Horizon League’s Freshman of the Year.
Chari is the only player in Green Bay to average over 20 points in a season, averaging 22.5 in 1998-1999. Kon’s mother was also named Conference Player of the Year in 1999. Later, Chari was inducted into the Phoenix Hall of Fame in 2004-2005. In 2024, she became the third UWGB women’s player to have her jersey retired.
Kon II’s father, also named Kon, has also played basketball since his college days. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Lutheran College Hall of Fame in 2015. He is a four-time All-Lake Michigan guard. Kon’s father guided the Warriors to three straight conference titles from 1996-98.
Elder Kon was named Lake Michigan Conference Player of the Year two times and also has a Rookie of the Year honour in 1995. The elder Knueppel established himself as the team’s all-time leading scorer after scoring 2,064 career points. Kon’s father also ranks second all-time in scoring average (19.3) and rebounds per game (7.8) for Wisconsin Lutheran College Warriors.
Kon Knueppel II’s parents, Chani and Kon Knueppel I, are American Nationals. The Duke star was born in Wisconsin, a state with a good population of German, Polish, and Scandinavian descent. His surname ‘Knueppel’ also has Germanic origins.
Image Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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