Duke's Freshman Trio Shines in ACC Win over Pittsburgh

Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach have all put together strong cases to be selected in the 2025 NBA draft, but their most recent outing was one of their strongest performances together.

Nov 29, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA;Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a basket by Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) during the second half against the Seattle Redhawks at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

In Duke’s 76-47 win over Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Jan. 7, the impact made by their three standout freshmen stole the show while showcasing what makes each of them such intriguing prospects. Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach scored the first, second and fourth most points in this game while demonstrating extremely promising flashes of their long-term potential. These strong, well-rounded outings were not stand-alone performances, but stringing them together against a then 12-2 conference foe offers hope for their upcoming draft value and current team success.

Let’s check in on these three players, focusing on their most recent performance and their full seasons up to this point.

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Cooper Flagg | Forward | 6’9” | 205 lbs | Freshman

Jan 7, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) dunks during the second half against the Pitt Panthers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg is one of the most highly-touted freshman prospects in quite some time due to his impressive athleticism and two-way upside. This outing did a solid job of showcasing his all-around game, even while playing somewhat out of position as a lead ball-handler. He finished the game leading in points, rebounds and assists with a stat line of 19 points, ten rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block. His shooting efficiency was impressive, as he connected on 7-of-11 field goals, 1-of-2 from deep and 4-of-6 on free throws. He was explosive in transition and seemed to be everywhere on the defensive end.

Flagg has led the Blue Devils in every statistical category through his first 15 games while living up to his extremely high expectations. His averages of 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks have showcased his consistency and kept him at the top of the majority of draft boards. Even if he has not already solidified himself as the No. 1 draft pick, continuing this productivity through conference play may lock him in relatively soon.

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Kon Knueppel | Wing | 6’7” | 217 lbs | Freshman

Jan 7, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Kon Knueppel (7) shoots a three-pointer during the second half against the Pitt Panthers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Kon Knueppel has been one of the best off-ball shooters in this freshman class and continued to show why this skill is so special. Against Pittsburgh, he finished the game with 17 points, four rebounds and one assist while shooting 5-of-12 from the field, 4-of-7 from three and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. His ability to navigate to his spots for catch-and-shoot opportunities looked great in this showing, especially in a three-possession span where he connected on three straight attempts from deep. Knueppel has increased his shooting volume in his first two ACC games, and continuing to take these shots should raise his ceiling as a shooter.

Through his first 15 games, he has averaged 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 0.7 steals on solid shooting splits of 43.3% from the field, 35.9% from three and 93.1% from the free throw line. He currently projects as more of a specialty-type player who will be used as a shooting threat, but his defensive instincts and connective passing could point to an even higher upside than he is typically given credit for.

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Khaman Maluach | Center | 7’2” | 250 lbs | Freshman

Dec 4, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) during the second half against the Auburn Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 84-78. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Khaman Maluach is the rawest of these three prospects, but his interior impact is hard to ignore. Against Pittsburgh, he finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and one block while shooting 4-of-5 from the field and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Maluach played his second-most minutes of the season in this game, logging 25 minutes, and his defensive impact was felt consistently. While he only recorded one block, he did a great job of altering opponents’ shots near the rim and forcing them into uncomfortable attempts.

Maluach currently averages 8.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.1 blocks on intriguing shooting splits of 78.3% from the field, 20% from three and 75% from the free throw line. Even though the averages are not all that impressive, his efficiency and consistent flashes from an unpolished game have made him one of the most intriguing developmental prospects in this class. His interior defense could make an impact early in his career, but the developing outside shot could determine just how high he might be selected.

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