Kon Knueppel took the NBA by storm last year with an impressive freshman season at Duke, where he averaged 14.4 points, four rebounds, 2.7 assists, one steal and 0.2 blocks while shooting over 40% from 3-point range and leading the ACC in free throw percentage (91.4%).
Following Knueppel's rookie campaign with the Charlotte Hornets, Jon Scheyer was able to secure a commitment from Kager Knueppel, Kon's younger brother, who will join the team next season after his final year in high school. However, Kon revealed that he has another family member entering college basketball this season. During a podcast appearance, Knueppel revealed that he has a cousin beginning his freshman season with Illinois this fall, Zavier Zens. Just like the Knueppel family, Zens also hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Zens and the Illini will face off against Duke November 17 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. While Knueppel expressed interest in attending, the Hornets' schedule may prohibit him from doing so, as Charlotte is slated to face the Lakers in Los Angeles on the same day.
However, if Zens stays in school beyond his freshman season, there will likely be a battle between cousins, as Duke is set to face Illinois away from home in the 2027-28 season, giving Kager and Zens a chance to battle it out for bragging rights.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke set to face off against Kon Knueppel's cousin this fall
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