Kon Knueppel’s Visit to Virginia Cavaliers Leaves Strong Impression on Four-Star Recruit

Kon Knueppel, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound shooting guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is believed to be favoring the University of Virginia over Notre Dame and Stanford after a recent visit. On3 ranks Knueppel as a top-20 player in the class of 2024 and a four-star recruit.

Kon Knueppel Impress on UVA Visit

Kon Knueppel is one of the top shooting guards in the class of 2024. The four-star recruit is an excellent shooter and on the Nike EYBL 16u circuit this summer, he shot an impressive 51.9 percent from the field, 43.3 percent from three, and 80.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Class of 2024 Kon Knueppel in the Tournament of Champions win! @KnueppelKon @WCHSTOC pic.twitter.com/RoXcsbd3Ss

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) November 23, 2022

When it comes to his ideal college basketball school, Knueppel is looking for a place that prioritizes having fun while playing basketball. He wants to keep things competitive but not lose sight of the fact that basketball is a sport that should be enjoyable for players.

After visiting Virginia and watching the Cavs beat Duke, Knueppel spoke highly of the coaching staff and the atmosphere surrounding the program.

“It was a great visit,” Knueppel said. “I got the chance to talk to Coach Bennett and his staff a lot during the weekend. They are really good people over there and we really enjoyed our time there. We got to see a really good game against Duke as well. It was a really great atmosphere. They have really big basketball fans around that town and they are really intense.”

Tony Bennett Leaves His Mark

Knueppel also enjoyed the college town feel of Virginia’s campus and was impressed by the team’s play and competitiveness. He said that he could see himself doing well in the Cavalier program, but acknowledged that he would need to get stronger and become a better defender.

One factor that makes Virginia appealing to Knueppel is the program’s faith-based approach. Head coach Tony Bennett has emphasized the importance of Christian values and their impact on the program’s success.

Knueppel appreciated this aspect of the program, saying, “Their core values are rooted in Christian faith and that is again something that is really appealing to me and influential in my life.”

Knueppel also has a family connection to the Bennett family. Coach Dick Bennett, Tony’s father, coached Knueppel’s uncle in college at Green Bay, and Tony was a senior when Knueppel’s uncle was a freshman on that team.

On his visit, Knueppel got to meet some of the current Virginia players, including a few who are also from Wisconsin.

“I got to meet a couple of the players and being able to talk to them was awesome,” he said. “There are a few players on the team from Wisconsin so it was great to talk to some fellow Packers fans. But in terms of basketball, you could see their joy in the game and joy playing the game and that is always something you want to see and want to watch for on these types of visits.”

Knueppel’s visit to Virginia certainly seems to have left a positive impression on him. As he continues to weigh his options, the Cavaliers appear to be a strong contender for his commitment.