Basketball Royalty: The Kon Knueppel Story — A Hoops Legacy Born in Milwaukee 👑🏀
The 2025 NBA Draft saw Kon Knueppel selected with the 4th overall pick a dream moment for any young athlete. But for those who know his roots, it’s hardly a surprise. This 6’6” sharpshooting wing from Milwaukee didn’t just stumble into basketball greatness. He was born into it.
Knueppel’s story is one of deep basketball lineage, a family tree built on hardwood dominance. His mother, Chari Nordgaard, is a Wisconsin basketball legend in her own right. As UW-Green Bay’s all-time leading scorer, Chari set a standard of excellence that still echoes through the Horizon League today. Her impact on the women’s game in Wisconsin can’t be overstated — and now, her son is carrying that torch forward on the biggest stage imaginable.
But wait, the bloodlines run even deeper.
Kon’s father also named Kon was no slouch either. A standout at Wisconsin Lutheran College, he became the school’s all-time leading scorer and held that title until 2019. For young Kon, excellence wasn’t optional; it was the expectation.
Still not impressed? Enter Jeff Nordgaard, Kon’s uncle and another certified hooper. Jeff, like Chari, played at Wisconsin-Green Bay, and he even made it to the NBA, suiting up for the Milwaukee Bucks — the hometown team of his nephew. That’s three generations of basketball success, with Kon now emerging as the family’s latest (and perhaps most electric) chapter.
So when Kon Knueppel heard his name called on draft night picked 4th overall the moment wasn’t just for him. It was for every member of the Knueppel-Nordgaard legacy that paved the way. It was a victory lap for years of family sacrifice, late nights in the gym, endless buzzer-beaters, and the kind of generational work ethic that breeds greatness.
Now, with a professional jersey on his back and the spotlight squarely on him, Kon is ready to show the world that basketball blood runs deep and strong.
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