When Cooper Flagg rolled his left ankle late in the first half against Georgia Tech, the entire Duke universe held its breath. The good news: No fracture, just swelling. The bad news: Duke’s national title odds just got murky.
Flagg was back on the bench during the second half, walking under his own power, with no crutches and no boot. For Duke to advance through the opening weekend of March Madness, more than just one player will need to fill his shoes. Who’s ready to step up? And in the process, who could help their NBA draft stock? Let’s get into it:
Kon Knueppel
Duke turned to Knueppel to generate offense without Flagg there to run the show on Thursday, and the 6-foot-7 freshman didn’t just step up but took over. Knueppel dropped a season-high 28 points on 7-of-14 shooting, with eight assists to only one turnover in Duke’s 78-70 victory.
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Knueppel played just as he has all season, really: Highly efficient offense with limited mistakes. But he did it at a far higher volume. Knueppel ran a season-high 14 pick-and-rolls in the game, per Synergy Sports tracking data. And he flourished, getting to the rim for crafty layups, spraying the ball for open shots, and feeding center Khaman Maluach for three lob dunks.
If one half of basketball without Flagg is any indication, then most of the load will fall on Knueppel, who is currently projected as a top-10 pick. This is his opportunity to show that he can be a primary initiator, and not just a shooter who can serve as a connector. And that’s what could push him into the top five.
Flagg and Rutgers guard Dylan Harper are likely locked in as the first two picks, with Rutgers forward Ace Bailey currently the favorite to go third. But who goes after that is wide open. Knueppel just got his chance to make his case.
Khaman Maluach
Maluach’s job description doesn’t change much with Flagg out, but the importance of his presence has skyrocketed. At 7-foot-2 with a ridiculous wingspan, he’ll need to be even more of an interior presence without Flagg there to help get stops. With Duke trailing to begin the second half, Maluach set a tone with two blocks in the first two defensive possessions to help spark the comeback.
Offensively, Maluach will also be asked to screen and roll more often, whether it’s for Knueppel or one of Duke’s other guards. More games like he had against Georgia Tech will cement his top-10 status, and possibly give him a boost.
Isaiah Evans
In the same way Duke leaned on Knueppel to run more pick-and-rolls against Georgia Tech, head coach Jon Scheyer also did more of what works by filtering more 3-pointers to Evans. All season, the freshman guard has excelled shooting off screens, using handoffs, and relocating to find his shot. Early in the second half, Duke called an out-of-bounds play for him to get a 3 and later had him curl off a screen that slingshot him toward the basket for a layup.
Evans is currently a projected second-round pick. He’s still raw, especially physically. But at 6-6, he makes 44.4% of his 3s and NBA teams are thirsty for high-energy wings like him who can come in and get buckets. More reps are coming.
Upperclassmen like guard Tyrese Proctor and wing Sion James will also be fed more opportunities that will play a key factor in Duke’s ability to keep winning games. But considering how much the league values youth, it’s a player like Evans who could benefit most from increased opportunity. And if he keeps capitalizing, he’s putting himself on the draft radar one year earlier than expected.
Duke’s national title chances are likely dead if Flagg can’t return for the Sweet 16 or Elite 8. But if Flagg comes back healthy, they’re still a title favorite. Either way, this is the kind of moment that makes or breaks a season, and a few NBA draft stocks.
