Jordan Brand signs Knueppel, Filipowski drops 32, and Duke’s NBA summer impact keeps growing
Friday marked a milestone day for Duke Brotherhood members in the NBA Summer League—and a mixed bag of performances on the court.
Kon Knueppel kicked off his pro career under the spotlight, not just for his game, but for signing a multi-year shoe deal with Jordan Brand earlier in the day. The brand now boasts a growing list of Dukies: Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero, Brandon Ingram, Jared McCain—and now Knueppel. One thing’s clear: Jordan Brand is betting big on Duke talent.
Unfortunately for Knueppel, his debut against the Utah Jazz was a rough one. The freshman forward shot just 1-of-8, finishing with 5 points, 4 assists, and 1 rebound. As analysts noted, Summer League’s fast pace doesn’t exactly suit his style—yet.
Meanwhile, Sion James looked more comfortable. The versatile guard shot 4-of-7, scored 8 points, and dished out 3 assists—a solid outing for the former Blue Devil.
But the night belonged to Kyle Filipowski.
Now in his second year, Filipowski exploded for 32 points, shooting 12-of-17 overall and 3-of-7 from deep, adding 6 rebounds and 5 assists in a brilliant performance. Despite his breakout night, the Jazz fell to the Hornets 111–105, but Filipowski’s development is hard to ignore. It’s starting to look like Utah stole him in the second round.
As for Jordan Brand? They’re loading up on Duke stars—and still zero Tar Heels on the roster. Message sent.
