2025 NBA Draft: Duke's Young Stars Shine In Exhibition Win Over Lincoln

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel combined for 39 points in a win over Lincoln. How did they pass the eye test?

Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) is introduced to the fans during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

The Duke Blue Devils put on a show in their first game of the collegiate campaign. In their first exhibition game, they took the win over Division II school, Lincoln. The freshmen stars really shined as Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel combined for nearly 40 points.

Let’s dive into what they did well.

Flagg was the star player of the night as he was making plays on both ends of the floor. It’s been known for a long time that he’s the best defensive prospect in this draft, widely due to his defensive versatility, great awareness and anticipation. He had four blocks and was quite disruptive on the defensive end while playing with a lot of energy.  Flagg will undoubtedly be one of the best defensive players in the league when he hits his prime.

On the offensive end, he showcased his above-the-rim finishing ability, smooth mid-range jumper and some 3-pointers. He's come a long way in recent years when it comes to his scoring ability and shot-creation. There’s no one in this draft that comes close to his impact on both ends of the floor, which is why he’s projected to be the number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

For Knueppel, he was able to showcase his elite shooting ability and solid passing chops. His stock has really risen over the last year as he’s now considered one of the best pure shooters in the entire draft. The 6-foot-7 wing can make spot-up jumpers, off-the-dribble jumpers and movement shots at an extremely high level. Elite shot versatility will be his most NBA-ready skill when he makes that jump to the NBA.

Knueppel showed good reads as a passer, which is very important as he holds so much gravity as a shooter that the windows to pass to open teammates will be there, he just has to make the read. The Duke wing even had a contact dunk in this game which is certainly eye-popping, as he only logged one dunk in EYBL in the past season. If he made improvements to his athleticism then that will push his name into top-ten conversations for this year’s draft.

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