The Duke Blue Devils enjoyed an outstanding college basketball season, driven by the stellar performances of their highly talented freshman trio: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach.
Duke concluded the season with an impressive 35–4 overall record. Their journey through the NCAA Tournament saw them secure victories over Mount St. Mary’s, Baylor, Arizona, and Alabama, earning them a spot in the prestigious Final Four.
However, their tournament run ended with a loss to the Houston Cougars, which also marked the conclusion of Cooper Flagg’s collegiate career.
Shortly after the season ended, Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach each declared for the upcoming NBA Draft. While both Knueppel and Maluach are projected to be selected within the lottery range, Flagg—who entered Duke as the nation’s top high school recruit—is widely expected to retain his No. 1 ranking and be taken first overall in the draft.
The NBA Draft Lottery is set to take place on Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Ahead of the event, Duke’s official social media account sent a clear message to NBA franchises poised to receive high picks in the draft:
“If I get a top 3 pick tonight I am taking Coop, Kon or Man Man and feeling really good about it.”
Flagg capped off his freshman campaign with averages of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game—leading Duke in every major statistical category.
His extraordinary performance earned him several prestigious honors. He became just the fourth freshman in history to win the John R. Wooden Award, joining the elite company of Anthony Davis, Zion Williamson, and Kevin Durant. He was also named the Naismith National Player of the Year, edging out standout Auburn big man Johni Broome.
As anticipation builds for the NBA Draft, CBS Sports analyst Sam Quinn has listed the Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets as the teams with the strongest odds of securing the top pick—and potentially landing Cooper Flagg.
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