The Kon Knueppel Thread

[yosemiteben]

Spoiler:

Finishing through double and triple teams? Brother what lol

He shot more wide open threes than any prospect in the lottery

Read on Twitter

Maybe watch some of those highlights that you say don't jump out at you.

Videos with multiple defenders trying to stop him in the paint:

(1) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=209

(2) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=214

(3) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=268

(4) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=284

(5) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=294

(6) https://youtu.be/IWhYXNNnreE?t=114

(7) https://youtu.be/IWhYXNNnreE?t=211

(8) https://youtu.be/IWhYXNNnreE?t=261

(9) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=56

(10) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=73

(11) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=107

(12) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=118

(13) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=137

(14) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=145

(15) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=156

(16) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=245

(17) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=257

(18) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=400

(19) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=476

(20) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=494

(21) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=702

Yeah we must have different expectations, these highlights I expect all 60 guys that get drafted to be able to do.
Max Shulga might not even be drafted and is just as impressive here.

Read on Twitter

/video/1

That Shulga dude just finished his senior season and is about to turn 23. He's like 3-4 years older than Kon.

So as a senior he is like a smaller, worse shooting version of Kon as a freshman.

[JMAC3]

It would be one thing if I just was posting non-sense hating on the kid but literally almost every take I have about prospects or players is accompanied by data.

The thing I'm reacting to is you taking an anti-data approach - yeah his stats look good, but a scout looking at 20 hand picked plays won't be impressed by him.

I get it, I am hater because the Mock Drafts have him so he must be good-- but I am going to keep calling out it out because it is very weird to me.

Believe it or not, posters can like Kon for reasons other than reading mock drafts.

I have made multiple cases against Kon, as you have mentioned. So why are you so fixated on one thing I said about his top 20 plays. Which yes I think matter. It is very easy to watch LeBron, SGA, LaMelo for 60 seconds and tell they are special talents. It is not like this is the one and only take I have provided why I don't think he should go top 8.

The fact that Kon's highlights resemble Ty Jerome matter to me. I don't think that is some crazy out there take people have.

[yosemiteben]

It would be one thing if I just was posting non-sense hating on the kid but literally almost every take I have about prospects or players is accompanied by data.

The thing I'm reacting to is you taking an anti-data approach - yeah his stats look good, but a scout looking at 20 hand picked plays won't be impressed by him.

I get it, I am hater because the Mock Drafts have him so he must be good-- but I am going to keep calling out it out because it is very weird to me.

Believe it or not, posters can like Kon for reasons other than reading mock drafts.

I have made multiple cases against Kon, as you have mentioned. So why are you so fixated on one thing I said about his top 20 plays.

Because you just posted that and it's what I have an issue with? Because I don't have an issue with you being concerned about his athleticism?

[JMAC3]

Spoiler:

Maybe watch some of those highlights that you say don't jump out at you.

Videos with multiple defenders trying to stop him in the paint:

(1) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=209

(2) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=214

(3) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=268

(4) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=284

(5) https://youtu.be/NZ-61pesaSY?t=294

(6) https://youtu.be/IWhYXNNnreE?t=114

(7) https://youtu.be/IWhYXNNnreE?t=211

(8) https://youtu.be/IWhYXNNnreE?t=261

(9) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=56

(10) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=73

(11) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=107

(12) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=118

(13) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=137

(14) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=145

(15) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=156

(16) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=245

(17) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=257

(18) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=400

(19) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=476

(20) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=494

(21) https://youtu.be/ASq5zh6deJ4?t=702

Yeah we must have different expectations, these highlights I expect all 60 guys that get drafted to be able to do.
Max Shulga might not even be drafted and is just as impressive here.

Read on Twitter

/video/1

That Shulga dude just finished his senior season and is about to turn 23. He's like 3-4 years older than Kon.

So as a senior he is like a smaller, worse shooting version of Kon as a freshman.

You know it isn't illegal to compare players of different ages?

but please enlighten me... who is Kon's NBA player comparison?

Also, who are your top 8 prospects in the draft? Since clearly you have a better understanding than I do to evaluate talent and I only look at 20 second clips. You seem like you have some strong takes if you aren't just looking at Mocks. So lets hear them.

[yosemiteben]

Spoiler:

Yeah we must have different expectations, these highlights I expect all 60 guys that get drafted to be able to do.
Max Shulga might not even be drafted and is just as impressive here.

Read on Twitter

/video/1

That Shulga dude just finished his senior season and is about to turn 23. He's like 3-4 years older than Kon.

So as a senior he is like a smaller, worse shooting version of Kon as a freshman.

You know it isn't illegal to compare players of different ages?

but please enlighten me... who is Kon's NBA player comparison?

Also, who are your top 8 prospects in the draft? Since clearly you have a better understanding than I do to evaluate talent and I only look at 20 second clips. You seem like you have some strong takes if you aren't just looking at Mocks. So lets hear them.

It strikes me as disingenuous to compare the production of a senior compared to a freshman, for what I would say is obvious reasons.

What is the strongest take you've heard me say on here about a prospect? That Kon could possibly be a good player?

In terms of how I'd rank prospects, I think it's Flagg on one tier, Harper on a second but not as far removed tier as consensus, then some version of VJ, Ace, Tre, Kon. I vacillate on how I rank those compared to each other. Next for me is a tier of Queen, Jaku, and Fears. I could be convinced about bumping Fears up a tier, but his low paint FG%, skinny frame and light weight kinda scare me.

[JMAC3]

That Shulga dude just finished his senior season and is about to turn 23. He's like 3-4 years older than Kon.

So as a senior he is like a smaller, worse shooting version of Kon as a freshman.

You know it isn't illegal to compare players of different ages?

but please enlighten me... who is Kon's NBA player comparison?

Also, who are your top 8 prospects in the draft? Since clearly you have a better understanding than I do to evaluate talent and I only look at 20 second clips. You seem like you have some strong takes if you aren't just looking at Mocks. So lets hear them.

It strikes me as disingenuous to compare the production of a senior compared to a freshman, for what I would say is obvious reasons.

What is the strongest take you've heard me say on here about a prospect? That Kon could possibly be a good player?

In terms of how I'd rank prospects, I think it's Flagg on one tier, Harper on a second but not as far removed tier as consensus, then some version of VJ, Ace, Tre, Kon. I vacillate on how I rank those compared to each other. Next for me is a tier of Queen, Jaku, and Fears. I could be convinced about bumping Fears up a tier, but his low paint FG%, skinny frame and light weight kinda scare me.

Then show a better comparison.... comes off lazy if you are going to act snarky towards someone's comp but then put zero effort in to try to show a better one.

[fatlever]

In no way whatsoever has YB been snarky towards you at all during this thread. Just because he disagrees with your methodology does not make it snarky.

[yosemiteben]

You know it isn't illegal to compare players of different ages?

but please enlighten me... who is Kon's NBA player comparison?

Also, who are your top 8 prospects in the draft? Since clearly you have a better understanding than I do to evaluate talent and I only look at 20 second clips. You seem like you have some strong takes if you aren't just looking at Mocks. So lets hear them.

It strikes me as disingenuous to compare the production of a senior compared to a freshman, for what I would say is obvious reasons.

What is the strongest take you've heard me say on here about a prospect? That Kon could possibly be a good player?

In terms of how I'd rank prospects, I think it's Flagg on one tier, Harper on a second but not as far removed tier as consensus, then some version of VJ, Ace, Tre, Kon. I vacillate on how I rank those compared to each other. Next for me is a tier of Queen, Jaku, and Fears. I could be convinced about bumping Fears up a tier, but his low paint FG%, skinny frame and light weight kinda scare me.

Then show a better comparison.... comes off lazy if you are going to act snarky towards someone's comp but then put zero effort in to try to show a better one.

I actually find comps generally to be lazy analysis, but I'm open to whatever criticism you want to throw at me as I don't consider myself much of a draft guy. I don't watch college basketball and don't really care if my views on prospects turn out or not.

Also why I don't have strong draft takes. I don't think you'll find a quote I've had of a strong take about Kon or anyone else. The strongest I can recall is saying he has skills that are worth being excited about, which i think is true.

[yosemiteben]

Just for kicks, let's go with a much better shooting, better passing, and not as long Caron Butler as a Kon comp.

[GoBobs]

My comp is Steph Curry.

My evidence is this:

Kon had a better ft percentage as a freshman that Steph had in three years at Davidson. In fact, if Kon had enough attempts to qualify, his ft percentage would be 3rd all time in college basketball.

Kon also had a better true shooting percentage as a freshman than Steph had in 3 years.

[SWedd523]

now that's some funny ****

[Braggins]

I think Kon can be a good player but I do feel like he gets more projections and comps that seems absolutely bonkers to me than any other prospect. I see him get compared to a lot of guys that play and move nothing like him and get projected to do things he hasn't shown much potential for yet.

Watch on YouTube

[Braggins]

White Boy Summer

[JustBuzzin]

White Boy Summer

[Braggins]

White Boy Summer

If the Hornets pick him this is his thread name.

[fatlever]

Read on Twitter

I got no problem with anyone being worried that his athleticism will be a concern at the next level. totally fair. But I don't know how any one that's a basketball purist can watch this breakdown and not see what being an elite processor and having incredibly high basketball iq mixed with gravity can do for a team.

Those kind of highlights excite me way more than watching someone take mid range contested jumpers or dunk or rim run or bait fts.

On defense I love watching guys just get up in people's business give them hell, play the passing lanes, smart rotations, just create havoc. And on offense I love watching people that have a great mental feel for the game with great shooting/passing touch.

Someone has to have at least one of those two things for me to really enjoy watching them as a player. Huge bonus points for the very few that could do both.

[Chapelchilla]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/why-kon-knueppel-is-not-just-another-luke-kennard/ar-AA1GEMpF

https://apnews.com/article/duke-kon-knueppel-mvp-acc-7172e9cf5aff67a0d9757ecf6fe47426

Food for thought?
Does anyone really think Kon isn't better than Kennard ? Why? He is bigger and played A LOT better then Luke did as a Freshman.
Also, Kennard isn't a bust so a better Kennard isn't useless.
Again, Kon is not my favorite but I wouldn't be mad either. Especially if we trade down a little.

[JustBuzzin]

If we take Kon it's likely because we traded back and got another starter. That's the only way I'm cool with taking Kon.

If we take Kon with the #4 pick I'm done with Peterson and the front office.

[SWedd523]

Read on Twitter

I got no problem with anyone being worried that his athleticism will be a concern at the next level. totally fair. But I don't know how any one that's a basketball purist can watch this breakdown and not see what being an elite processor and having incredibly high basketball iq mixed with gravity can do for a team.

Those kind of highlights excite me way more than watching someone take mid range contested jumpers or dunk or rim run or bait fts.

On defense I love watching guys just get up in people's business give them hell, play the passing lanes, smart rotations, just create havoc. And on offense I love watching people that have a great mental feel for the game with great shooting/passing touch.

Someone has to have at least one of those two things for me to really enjoy watching them as a player. Huge bonus points for the very few that could do both.

Do you think Kon has any chance to be a star player?

[fatlever]

Read on Twitter

I got no problem with anyone being worried that his athleticism will be a concern at the next level. totally fair. But I don't know how any one that's a basketball purist can watch this breakdown and not see what being an elite processor and having incredibly high basketball iq mixed with gravity can do for a team.

Those kind of highlights excite me way more than watching someone take mid range contested jumpers or dunk or rim run or bait fts.

On defense I love watching guys just get up in people's business give them hell, play the passing lanes, smart rotations, just create havoc. And on offense I love watching people that have a great mental feel for the game with great shooting/passing touch.

Someone has to have at least one of those two things for me to really enjoy watching them as a player. Huge bonus points for the very few that could do both.

Do you think Kon has any chance to be a star player?

a star? doubtful.
I think he has a very good chance to be able high quality starter. And I realized that that's not what most teams are aiming for when picking 4th. but frankly I don't see* potential out of any one in our draft range with the exception of unless ace hits his best case scenario which I think is pretty unlikely. vj Is still my number one choice for us because we desperately need someone that plays both ends of the floor. But even in his best case scenarios I don't see Vj as a star.
Right now I'm looking for guys that are floor raisers. Guys like come in and within 18 months make this a better team and make everyone around them better. I think Vj can do that defensively and I think Kon can do that offensively. tre as well. Be those guys I think are probably your third best player in an ideal scenario.

I think it's a fallacy to you think that just because you're drafting in the top five that you have to go for a home run and choose for someone that you think might be a future all NBA player. I'd say just keep drafting good basketball players and stop trying to shoot for the moon and this team will be in a much better position going forward.