Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Roster Now Includes Seven Projected 2025 Draft Picks

One early draft big board has three Duke basketball players in the top eight.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball center Khaman Maluach
Duke basketball center Khaman Maluach / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
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Judging by the ranking of the top 100 NBA Draft prospects that ESPN's Jonathan Givony released on Wednesday, it's conceivable that the Duke basketball program loses almost every member of its 2024-25 rotation to the professional ranks come spring. At the same time, though, the Blue Devils could enjoy a historic night in late June.

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As is the case with seemingly every credible 2025 big board and mock draft, Givony tags Duke basketball freshman forward and expected Blue Devil centerpiece Cooper Flagg as the No. 1 prospect.

But Flagg, a long-limbed phenom who finished No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2025 Composite and arrived in Durham as the most-hyped Duke newcomer since Zion Williamson ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, isn't the only Blue Devil appearing high on Givony's list.

Fellow Duke rookie Kon Knueppel, a sharpshooting wing from Wisconsin who ranked No. 18 in the 2025 recruiting cycle, pops up at No. 6 overall among 2025 draft prospects in the eyes of Givony.

And yet another first-year collegian under third-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer's command, 7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach from South Sudan, appears two spots below Knueppel at No. 8.

Junior guard Tyrese Proctor rounds out the Blue Devils in first-rounder territory at No. 28 overall.

Another anticipated starter in the Duke backcourt, sophomore Caleb Foster, checks in at No. 44.

Givony then slots Duke freshman guard/forward Isaiah Evans at No. 49 and graduate transfer guard Sion James at No. 54.

The record for the most Blue Devils to hear their names in a two-round draft sits at five — also an ACC record. That happened in 2022 with Paolo Banchero coming off the board No. 1 overall, Mark Williams at No. 15, AJ Griffin at No. 16, Wendell Moore Jr. at No. 26, and Trevor Keels at No. 42.

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Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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