“This year’s Kon Knueppel”: Analyst heaps high praise for UConn's Braylon Mullins

UConn's incoming freshman Braylon Mullins is gaining attention already. In the early 2026 NBA mock draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic compared Mullins to 2024 NBA prospect Kon Knueppel.

On Tuesday, Storrs Central shared the quote via an Instagram post alongside a picture of Mullins.

“Mullins is this year’s Kon Knueppel: a player who many have off their preseason draft boards because of his perceived weaknesses but one who will ultimately prove worthy of being a one-and-done,” Vecenie wrote.

Vecenie named Mullins the seventh pick in the 2026 mock draft.

"High praise from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie on new UConn Freshman Braylon Mullins 🔥," read the post's caption.

Vecenie described Mullins as “a complete wing who profiles incredibly well toward the NBA." He emphasised his shooting, defence and offensive versatility.

“He’s an obscenely high-level shooter, having hit 42 percent of his 3s on the AAU circuit on high volume last year,” Vecenie added. “If you leave him in transition, you’re dead. If you struggle to chase around screens, you’re in deep trouble.”

Defensively, Mullins stood out for his aggression and awareness.

“He was also one of the best defensive guards I saw in the class,” Vecenie added.

Mullins’ finishing ability, cutting instincts and quick decision-making further solidify his NBA projection.

In the final 2025 On3 rankings, the 6-foot-5 player ranked No. 15 nationally. Among the shooting guards, he ranked No. 5. He was the best player in Indiana.

Braylon Mullins was named MVP as the Indiana All-Stars swept Kentucky

Braylon Mullins closed his high school career with a standout performance on June 8. He led the Indiana All-Stars to a 106–92 win over the Kentucky All-Stars at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mullins scored 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished seven assists to earn MVP honours.

“You can’t really say we didn’t play great,” Mullins told IndyStar. “We all played together and had fun tonight. You can’t do anything better than playing on Gainbridge (Fieldhouse) floor. It certainly helped that Malachi (Moreno) wasn’t on the floor because there was a lot more opening up. But we all played great together.”

Indiana dominated with a 13–0 run to close the first half and led by as many as 32 points. The win marked Indiana’s 45th victory over Kentucky in the past 52 meetings.

Mullins’ graduation party was scheduled before he left for UConn on Monday to prepare for his freshman year.