Brooklyn Nets NBA Draft Notebook: Cooper Flagg, Duke Kick Off College Season

The Brooklyn Nets will be paying special attention to the 2025 NBA Draft all season.

Nov 4, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils prospect Cooper Flagg (2) looks for an opening to pass during the second half against the Maine Black Bears at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

College basketball has tipped off and, with the Brooklyn Nets favored to have some of the best picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, this also means that the draft cycle is now in full swing.

As of Wednesday morning, the Nets are 4-4. Tankathon projects Brooklyn to start picking at no. 19 right now, although that is likely to change. The Nets could have up to six total picks in the draft, pending on whether a top 37-protected selection from the Miami Heat translates.

This week in college basketball was marked by the debut of Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils. The 2025 draft is jokingly being coined as a “Capture the Flagg” race for the 17-year-old prospect, who kicked off his freshman year against Maine with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists, three steals and the win. Flagg, an exceptional two-way forward, is widely predicted to be the no. 1 pick next summer. 

Duke also has some other NBA prospects to monitor, namely center Khaman Maluach and sharpshooter Kon Knueppel. Both have a chance to be top ten picks in 2025.

Knueppel is a 6-foot-6 three-point threat who is also adept at playing off two feet on drives and plays smarter defense than his athleticism implies. He had 22 points against Maine, including  trifecta of threes.

Maluach is an 18-year-old big from NBA Academy Africa with tantalizing above-the-rim flashes catching lobs and blocking shots. He might also have a budding perimeter game, but will probably have a simpler role at Duke. 

VJ Edgecombe just POSTERIZED Mark Few’s son while down 30 ☠️

pic.twitter.com/sabyUFT7EY

— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) November 5, 2024

VJ Edgecombe, a super explosive freshman guard, played his first official game for Baylor on Monday night and got blown out by Gonzaga. That said, the Bahamas native is a potential top-five pick, if not higher. 

Edgecombe will likely be productive and stuff the stat sheet, but he needs to answer questions about his self-creation, ballhandling and half-court role. His first NCAA game was a 2-for-11 four-point performance with more turnovers (three) than assists (one). The Bears prospect already gave us an early season dunk highlight, though, despite the bad loss.

Other potential lottery picks who made their season debuts on the first day of NCAA hoops included Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina); Asa Newell (Georgia); Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), and Drake Powell and Ian Jackson (North Carolina). Murray-Boyles, a sophomore forward who plays with enticing footwork but does not stretch the floor for his position, is the only college returner from that list. 

BYU freshman Egor Demin made his stateside premiere on Tuesday, posting a tremendous 18 points, 11 assists and four steals. His teammate Kanon Catchings has NBA and WNBA lineage with the possibility of being the latest Overtime Elite product to be drafted in the first round.

Wednesday's slate of games starts mid-day (Eastern time) with some Eurocup action, as it's worth checking out Valencia to see whether 18-year-old Sergio De Larrea continues breaking out. Then, Ulm's Ben Saraf and Noa Essengue are in action. 

Getting into the college games, potential number one picks Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey will be must-watch for Rutgers all season, starting against Wagner. Defending national champions UConn are filled with NBA prospects once again, with Liam McNeeley being their freshman to track.

Finally, John Calipari's Arkansas will feature freshmen Boogie Fland and Karter Knox, but sophomores DJ Wagner and especially Zvonimir Ivisic are still very interesting.

Watch List:

As a note for this first edition of the NBA Draft Notebook, the initial prospects in the watch list for each team is purposely broad. The watch list will be gradually whittled down to reflect each prospect’s draft standing while the season progresses.

The following is a watch list of games and players — also featuring some international games — for the first Wednesday of this NCAA season:

Valencia vs. Aris at 1 PM ET: Sergio De Larrea (Valencia)

Ratiopharm Ulm vs. Buducnost at 1:45 PM ET: Noa Essengue, Ben Saraf (Ulm)

Rutgers vs. Wagner at 6 PM ET: Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey (Rutgers)

UConn vs. Sacred Heart at 7 PM ET: Liam McNeeley, Alex Karaban, Solo Ball, Jaylin Stewart (UConn)

Georgetown vs. Lehigh at 7 PM ET: Malik Mack, Julius Halaifonua (Georgetown)

Arkansas vs. Lipscomb at 8 PM ET: Boogie Fland, Zvonimir Ivisic, Karter Knox, DJ Wagner, Adou Thiero, Trevon Brazile, Billy Richmond (Arkansas)

Indiana vs. SIU Edwardsville at 8 PM ET: Mackenzie Mgbako, Kanaan Carlyle (Indiana)

Auburn vs. Vermont at 8 PM ET: Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Tahaad Pettiford, Jahki Howard (Auburn)

Creighton vs. UT Rio Grande Valley at 9 PM ET: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Jackson McAndrew (Creighton)

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