All eyes were on Cooper Flagg this past college basketball season, and the freshman phenom certainly did not disappoint as he led the Duke Blue Devils to the Final Four. While the 6-foot-9 superstar is a lock to be the first pick in next month’s NBA Draft, Kon Knueppel, another Duke freshman, is also projected to be a high lottery pick across North Carolina sports betting.
The 6-foot-7 forward finished second to Flagg in scoring (14.4 points per game). Knueppel shot 47.9% from the floor, 40.6% from beyond the 3-point arc and 91.4% from the free throw line.
As one of the top shooters available in this year’s draft, BetCarolina.com has developed the following odds on which team will select Knueppel in the first round. These odds are for infotainment purposes only and are not available at North Carolina licensed operators, such as BetMGM NC or FanDuel.
Player | Odds | Percent Chance |
New Orleans Pelicans | +150 | 40.0% |
Brooklyn Nets | +200 | 33.3% |
Utah Jazz | +850 | 10.5% |
Houston Rockets | +1000 | 9.1% |
The Field | +1300 | 7.1% |
Disclaimer: These odds were developed by and are exclusive to BetCarolina.com, but regulated operators offering top North Carolina sportsbook promo codes offer wagers on each NBA game, plus futures betting and more.
The Pelicans and the Nets seem like the teams with the clearest need for a shooter. New Orleans, which has the seventh pick, had the NBA’s seventh-lowest field goal percentage at 45.2% and 3-point shooting percentage at 34.7% In addition, they made just 12 treys a game, tied with the Denver Nuggets for the third fewest in the league. Brooklyn picks right after the Nuggets and had the second-worst shooting offense at 43.7% and sixth-worst accuracy from the perimeter at 34.4%.
However, one NBA Draft analyst believes another team that needs a shooter and picks before either the Nets or Pelicans could swoop in and take Knueppel.
“After missing out on the Flagg sweepstakes, Utah selects the teammate of the future No. 1 overall pick out of Duke,” wrote CBS Sports’ Cameron Salerno on Thursday. “Knueppel is a sharpshooter who would be an immediate contributor for the Jazz from Day 1.”
Utah ranked just ahead of the Pelicans in shooting at 45.4% and was the ninth worst on 3s, hitting just 35% of them. Salerno believes the Jazz, who pick fifth, likely will decide between Knueppel and Texas guard Tre Johnson.
Stick with BetCarolina for more NBA coverage and tracking the Hornets playoff chances next season.
USA Today photo by Robert Deutsch.
Kon Knueppel is generating significant interest as a potential NBA Draft pick in the 2025 Draft, following his strong performances at Duke University.
While it's still early, teams that might be looking for a player with Knueppel's skillset in the projected lottery range of the 2025 NBA Draft include the New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets.
The 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 25 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York at 7:00 PM.
Author
As a writer and analyst for BetCarolina.com, Steve not only covers gaming news and developments in North Carolina but also provides insights into what they mean for bettors, licensed operators and the state. A veteran journalist with 25 years of experience covering sports, politics and business, Steve has reported on the gambling industry intently over the past five years.
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