Duke HC Jon Scheyer makes his feelings known as Cooper Flagg's teammate declares for NBA Draft

Jon Scheyer is set to lose players on the best Duke team he has assembled yet, after Kon Knueppel declared for the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday. While Cooper Flagg was the star of the team, Knueppel played a major role in a special year for the Blue Devils.

The 2024-25 Duke team fell short of the national title, losing to Houston in the Final Four. They were the top seed entering the NCAA Tournament, and this was due to the sheer amount of talent on the team and their performance all season.

The team was driven by the blue-chip freshmen Flagg, Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach. However, due to their high level of performance, head coach Scheyer always knew he was likely going to lose these players to the NBA.

Flagg revealed that he was “taking time to weigh all his options before making anything public”. While the team’s biggest star is yet to declare for the draft, Knueppel announced his decision via Instagram on Wednesday.

“Forever a Blue Devil. Taking the Brotherhood with me to the next chapter,” Knueppel wrote in the announcement post.

Following this announcement, Scheyer had things to say about Knueppel in a video posted on social media by the Duke team.

“Loved having Kon in our program, so proud of him and what he did this season. He’s a guy that really is about competition, he never shies away from competitive plays that have to be made,” Jon Scheyer said in the video.

With the 2025 NBA draft only 10 days away, other Duke players from the 2024-25 team are expected to make their intentions known in the next couple of days.

Copper Flagg sends message to Duke teammate Kon Knueppel after draft announcement

Knueppel posted his declaration on Instagram, attaching different pictures of the Duke team.

Several people reacted to the post, including his teammate and friend, Flagg.

"My brother," Flagg wrote in the comment section of the announcement post

Copper Flagg sends message to Kon Knueppel after draft announcement. Credit: IG/@kon2knueppel

Knueppel had a solid season for the Blue Devils, averaging 14.4 points, 4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, and he is projected as a top-10 pick in the draft.