Duke's Flagg, Knueppel Proven As Top Prospects of Recent Memory

A pair of former Duke Blue Devils have already made an incredible impact in the NBA, and they still rank very highly as overall prospects in recent years.

The two players are none other than Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel, the star freshman duo that led Duke to a Final Four appearance in their lone collegiate season in 2024-25. Both players have become integral parts of their respective NBA squads and are now being recognized as two of the best prospects of the last few seasons.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, while also averaging 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game in the 2024-25 campaign with the Blue Devils. He would go on to win several awards after that spectacular season, including Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year.

Flagg would continue that success by winning NBA Rookie of the Year this past season after an incredible season with the Dallas Mavericks. As such, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo says Flagg is still the best prospect over the last two draft classes combined, citing his star potential and incredibly versatile skillset.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Woo’s Thoughts on Flagg

“Knowing what we knew then -- and what we know now -- Flagg is the clear No. 1 in this group," Woo said.

"There were so few holes in his overall profile that the question was always about what level of heights he'd reach, not about whether he would succeed in the NBA. He finished college on a growth trajectory, with good indicators that he'd develop not only as a shooter, but also as an all-around scorer, and was extremely young for his level with solid positional size,” Woo said.

Another standout freshman from that same Duke squad also made Woo’s list of the best prospects over the last two classes. Kon Knueppel was Flagg’s running mate during that season, and he averaged 14.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, while knocking down 40 percent of his three-pointers. Fittingly, he’d go on to finish as the runner-up to Flagg in NBA Rookie of the Year voting this past season after a great rookie campaign for the Charlotte Hornets.

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Where Knueppel Ranks

Woo placed Knueppel as the 10th-best prospect over the last two years, citing the immediate impact that he had both at Duke and in the NBA.

“As it turned out, everything translated: He increased his output on similar efficiency with the Hornets and set the rookie record for made 3s. Knueppel will be an NBA fixture for some time. The question now is what type of heights he can reach as an individual scorer. In hindsight, you can easily make an argument to consider him higher after seeing his immediate impact,” Woo said.

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