Over the past year, I’ve seen some good talent in the regions 2028 class. One of the better forwards from this group is Kinston Knueppel. The eight grader is a 6’4” forward of Wisconsin Lutheran. 

At the recent NY2LA Generation Next Tip-Off Tournament back in November, Knueppel was one of the top players regardless of age group. He was a big reason that his Wisconsin Lutheran team was able to capture the tournament championship. Knueppel and Wisconsin Lutheran went undefeated in pool play and then had some impressive wins in bracket play to win the 14U level championship. Throughout the way it was Knueppel was leading the way including a game winning jump shot in the semifinals in addition to some big point totals. 

While he still is still several months shy of high school, there is already plenty to like from the game of Knueppel. He has a very nice combination of size, length, and skill set. Over the course of the entire tournament, he continued to prove he is a very efficient scorer who can get it done on all three levels. Whether out on the perimeter, in the high post, or down on the block, he can beat defenders in a number of ways with all his tools. There are not many middle schoolers that already have his great range of abilities on the floor. 

As he moves into the high school ranks next year, his development will be one to watch.