{"id":45089,"date":"2025-06-27T11:04:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T15:04:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/?p=45089"},"modified":"2025-06-27T11:04:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T15:04:50","slug":"draft-pick-kon-knueppel-gives-glory-to-the-lord-after-nba-selection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/idolchatter\/2025\/06\/draft-pick-kon-knueppel-gives-glory-to-the-lord-after-nba-selection.html","title":{"rendered":"Draft Pick Kon Knueppel Gives Glory to the Lord After NBA Selection"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Left: Duke Basketball \/ YouTube | Right: ESPN \/ YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kon Knueppel is headed to the NBA\u2014and he’s giving all the credit to God.<\/p>\n

The former Duke standout was selected No. 4 overall by the Charlotte Hornets during Wednesday night’s NBA Draft. As he soaked in the moment with his four brothers by his side, Knueppel made it clear that his faith was at the center of his journey.<\/p>\n

“I mean, it’s such a blessing from God to be able to enter the NBA,” Knueppel told ESPN shortly after hearing his name called. “But to be able to share it with your family is beyond comprehension. It’s such a special moment for us and for me.”<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-6 guard was the second Duke player to be taken in the top five, coming just three picks after his teammate Cooper Flagg was chosen No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks. But Knueppel’s focus was less on rankings and more on gratitude.<\/p>\n

His brother Kash, who was also present on draft night, echoed that same sense of appreciation and excitement. “It’s awesome. It’s a blessing from God,” he said. “He’ll have fun\u2014every minute of it. It’ll be awesome to watch him from home.”<\/p>\n

Though he’s kept a relatively low profile when it comes to public discussions of his faith, Knueppel has never shied away from acknowledging it as a key part of his life. In a 2023 interview with Rivals, he opened up about how his Christian faith shaped his college decision-making process.<\/p>\n

“I’ve told a couple of people this, but when I went on my visit [to Virginia], Coach (Tony) Bennett said that he wanted me to know that Virginia is a faith-based program,” Knueppel said. “That’s something that’s stuck with me, being a Christian. That’s something that’s really important to me, so that was awesome to hear and something I don’t always hear.”<\/p>\n

Although he ultimately chose to attend Duke, Knueppel carried that same sense of purpose and faith into his freshman season. He averaged 14.4 points and 4 rebounds per game, making a name for himself as a reliable scorer and smart defender.<\/p>\n

Now, as he steps into the professional world, Knueppel says he remains grounded in his faith and supported by his close-knit family. For him, this isn’t just the beginning of a basketball career\u2014it’s another opportunity to walk the path God has laid before him.<\/p>\n

“It’s all a blessing,” he said. “I’m just thankful.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kon Knueppel is headed to the NBA\u2014and he’s giving all the credit to God. The former Duke standout was selected No. 4 overall by the Charlotte Hornets during Wednesday night’s NBA Draft. As he soaked in the moment with his four brothers by his side, Knueppel made it clear that his faith was at the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":45092,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45089","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-television"],"yoast_head":"\nDraft Pick Kon Knueppel Gives Glory to the Lord After NBA Selection<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Kon Knueppel goes No. 4 in the NBA Draft, calling it a \u201cblessing from God\u201d as he begins his pro journey with faith and family by his side.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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