If Cooper Flagg was the Batman of Duke Blue Devils, then Kon Knueppel was undoubtedly their Robin. Despite playing alongside this year’s consensus number 1 overall pick, Knueppel managed to leave his mark, averaging 14.4 points and four rebounds during his maiden college season. But the Wisconsin native proved his true worth when he put on the cape and led Duke to an ACC tournament victory while Flagg was out with an injury. His heroics earned him the ACC Tournament MVP honors, which was obviously a proud moment for Kon’s parents.

Now, the 19-year-old is just seven days away from making them even prouder, with him being projected as a Top 5 pick in the upcoming draft. Per ESPN’s latest mock draft, the star guard is projected to be selected fourth overall by the Charlotte Hornets on June 25. The timing could not have been more perfect because the date is extremely close to his parents’ anniversary.

Kon made this wholesome revelation during his recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, as the media veteran asked him, “Where are you right now? You’re in Wisconsin?” The Duke product replied, “Yeah, I’m back home. I’m actually in my parents’ bedroom, the most quiet place in the house.”

Intrigued to know more about his parents, Simmons asked, “I see some wedding pictures in the background. How long have your parents been married?” That’s when Kon realized, “It’s actually their anniversary coming up this week, so 2004. 21 years.”

Turns out, both of Kon’s parents were ballers back in the day. His mother, Chari, played at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2004. Meanwhile, his father, who is also named Kon Knueppel, had a stellar run with Wisconsin Lutheran College.

They were the ones who pushed Kon to pick up the sport as a kid. So, watching him stand on the NBA podium, shaking Adam Silver’s hand, would be the perfect anniversary gift for his parents. What’s even more wholesome is that Kon will be accompanied by his Duke teammate Cooper, who is projected to be picked first overall by the Mavs. And playing with him for a year, Kon knows exactly how hard Flagg has worked to get to this stage.

Kon Knueppel reveals Cooper Flagg’s unique attribute that rubbed off on Duke teammates amid Dallas visit

Very few people know Flagg’s hard work and dedication better than Kon. While everyone has heard stories about his passion, Knueppel has firsthand experience of witnessing it closely as a teammate. He spilled the beans on Bill Simmons’ podcast, “When you mention a guy like Cooper, that stuff is kind of evident in the way he plays. Like he doesn’t take plays off in the game. You can see how that would correlate to a practice. Like he’s not taking any drills off. He wants to win every drill. That stuff carries over.”

That explains why Cooper is always able to bring his A game every night. Moreover, his dedication rubs off on the entire team, and even helped Duke reach the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. “I think for the most part, we had guys that are self-driven in that way anyway this past season, but I mean when the best guy is doing it everybody’s gonna do it,” Kon remarked.

Surely, Mavs would be hoping that Cooper brings the same energy to their team once they call his number on draft night. Of course, their union seems imminent because Dallas is the only team Flagg is working out for, and vice versa. Turns out, Flagg made his official visit to Dallas on Tuesday and had a private dinner with a contingent of Mavs officials. Reports suggest that he was “having fun” during his visit.

Seems like Flagg and Mavs have gotten off on the right foot, and hopefully, this journey will continue for years to come. Thoughts?