Current Charlotte Hornets forward and recent Rookie of the Year Award runner-up Kon Knueppel made another offseason appearance, sitting down to chat with Barstool Sports. While there, the former Blue Devil weighed in on his alma mater, giving fans his all-time Duke starting five.
Kon Knueppel's all-time Duke starting five
Point guard - Bobby Hurley
In four seasons at Duke from 1989 to 1993, Hurley made 140 appearances for the Blue Devils, averaging 12.4 points, 7.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.4 steals while shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc. Of his 140 games played, 139 appearances were starts. Additionally, Hurley was one of the winningest players in Duke basketball history, playing a vital role in back-to-back championship titles during his sophomore and senior seasons.
Shooting guard - JJ Redick
Redick also played all four seasons at
Duke, appearing in 139 games. Redick was named to four consecutive All-ACC Teams and won the AP Player of the Year Award and the Wooden Award during the 2005-06 season. Throughout his time with the Blue Devils, Redick averaged 19.9 points, 2.6 assists, two rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 40.6% from deep. He also led the ACC in free throw percentage in three of his four seasons.
Small forward - Grant Hill
Along with Hurley, Hill was an integral part of Duke's back-to-back NCAA championship run from 1990 to 1992. In 129 career games for the university, Hill averaged 14.9 points, six rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 steals and one block. Hill won an ACC Player of the Year Award, made three All-ACC selections and was named the NABC Defensive Player of the Year once.
Power forward - Shane Battier
Another former champion at Duke, Battier had an incredible senior season with the school, leading them to the 2000-01 NCAA championship along with Jay Williams. In 146 games for the Blue Devils, Battier held averages of 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks. Battier also shot well, shooting 50% from the field during his time in college and over 41% from 3-point range. Perhaps the best defender in Duke history, Battier won three NABC Defensive Player of the Year Awards, earned one AP Player of the Year Award and made three All-ACC selections.
Center - Christian Laettner
Considering Knueppel selected Hurley and Hill, it's no surprise that he also selected Christian Laettner, who will be remembered for his clutch career at Duke. In 148 games for the Blue Devils, Laettner averaged 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.6 steals and one block. Like many others in this lineup, Laettner was a part of two NCAA championship squads, won an AP Player of the Year Award and made three All-ACC Teams.
Knueppel was asked for a sixth name and revealed that the aforementioned Jay Williams was the first player off of his list.
Reflecting on Knueppel's list, the former Duke sharpshooter seemed to value tenure and championships, as all five players listed played four collegiate seasons, and four of them won at least one championship. While a case for Williams over Hurley can certainly made, Knueppel produced a pretty solid lineup taking to account history, stats and success. Of all other alumni, Johnny Dawkins and Carlos Boozer may be the next to gain consideration by fans.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Former Blue Devil Kon Knueppel reveals his all-time Duke starting five
