Wisconsin Lutheran rising senior Kager Knueppel’s recruitment is heating up, highlighted by a recent offer from Duke where brother Kon went one-and-done before being drafted No. 4 overall in the NBA Draft.
Several top programs are inquiring about the 6-foot-10 guard fresh off a standout showing at Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in Atlanta at the end of April. Knueppel shot 46.7% from the field over three games playing with several other top Wisconsin-based recruits for Team Herro, highlighted by a 5-of-7 game from three leading to 17 points in a 71-58 win over PSA Cardinals (NY) and a 6-of-12 showing from distance with 20 points in a 75-67 win over Team Why Not (CA).
“Everything picked up after the Atlanta EYBL Session 1. Lots of phone calls and texts,” Knueppel told the Journal Sentinel.
As of the first week of May, Knueppel reports offers from Purdue, Wisconsin, Butler, Michigan, University of Illinois-Chicago, Saint Louis University, Toledo, DePaul, Xavier, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Northern Michigan and Texas A&M in addition to the recent Duke offer. Also showing interest have been Marquette, Northern Iowa, Utah State, Iowa, Minnesota, Louisville, Alabama, Kentucky and Illinois, where cousin Zavier Zens just committed.
He also took an official visit to Purdue, which he told the Journal Sentinel was a “10/10.” Knueppel added that playing pick-up basketball alongside younger brother and Class of 2028 recruit Kinston Knueppel against current Purdue players was a highlight of the visit. A visit with Duke is also in the works.
The latter, of course, is where older brother Kon spent the 2024-25 season before becoming a top NBA draft pick. Watching Kon go through a similar recruiting process just a couple years back informed his own as it has taken shape in the latter stages of his high school career.
“I liked his priorities,” Kager Knueppel said. “Go to a place that has the best player he could compete with daily, have the chance to win a national championship, and have fun doing it. Those are some of my goals in picking a school too.”
As for his own timeframe, Kager expects to lock in his commitment well before the start of the 2026-27 high school season. In the meantime, he is working on improving as a prospect so he can hit the collegiate floor running in 2027.
“I hope to make my decision this spring,” Knueppel said. “My main goal is to keep getting better, so that’s an every day thing. Offers and recruitment are great, but if I can’t perform I’m not going to reach my goals.”
Knueppel has been a leading contributor on the past two WIAA state title teams of what has been a three-peat for Wisconsin Lutheran. As a sophomore, he averaged 13.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in his first season as a regular starter for a Vikings program that won the 2025 WIAA Division 1 state title. As a junior in the 2025-26 season, Knueppel showed marked improvement as a shooter from distance while increasing his averages to 16.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists to help lead Wisconsin Lutheran to WIAA gold for the third straight season.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Kager Knueppel’s recruitment heating up ahead of senior season
Reporting by Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
