Duke products know how to perform when the stage gets big, and this was the biggest stage of the year for the 2025 draft class. The fourth overall pick squared off against his former college roommate Cooper Flagg in what became one of the greatest rookie showdowns of all-time. Knueppel caught fire, draining eight three-pointers en route to 34 points, including this long-range bomb off the assist from Miles Bridges. Flagg answered with 49 of his own, and their combined 83 points were the most by opposing rookies since Tiny Archibald and Pete Maravich in 1971. The difference: Knueppel made the winning free throws in the final seconds, lifting Charlotte to a 123-121 road victory. · Jan 30, 2026