The NCAA Tournament is one of the best stages for emerging NBA Draft prospects to boost their draft stocks just over two months away from the draft itself. And now with the conclusion of the tournament, there's certainly been some risers and fallers on some draft boards.
Duke rookie sensation Cooper Flagg somehow managed to boost his stock more even though he was already a shoo-in to be the first overall pick, but other Blue Devils may have helped their cases as well.
Let's take a look at which Duke basketball players are projected to get drafted in ESPN's new 2025 NBA Mock Draft done by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo.
#1 overall - Cooper Flagg - Utah Jazz
This doesn't need much explaining. Flagg has been the projected first overall pick in the 2025 draft for over a year at this point, and he solidified his case even further throughout his lone college basketball season. Flagg ended his freshman year with Duke averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals a game on 48.1% shooting from the field and 38.5% shooting from three-point range. The 6'9 wing led Duke in all five major statistical categories while winning ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, and AP National Player of the Year. This case is closed.
#7 overall - Khaman Maluach - Toronto Raptors
Maluach is one of the most intriguing long-term prospects in this year's draft class, as the 7'2 center is oozing with potential. The South Sudan native displayed his abilities as an elite rim protector and shot blocker with the ability to run the floor with the guards in transition. Maluach excelled in pick-and-roll situations and was one of the biggest threats down low on both sides of the ball in the entire country this season. He ended his rookie year averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks a night. He had eight blocks through Duke's four NCAA Tournament games before Houston completely shut him down as Maluach grabbed zero rebounds and blocked one shot in the Final Four. However, he's still one of the most polarizing big men in this class, and ESPN projects him as the first center off the board.
#8 overall - Kon Knueppel - San Antonio Spurs
Nobody plays harder than this 19-year-old from Milwaukee. Knueppel shot out of a cannon to begin the season and quickly shot up into lottery considerations with stellar shooting and defense. As the season went on and Duke head coach Jon Scheyer began running more plays from Knueppel, his efficiency from outside the arc continued to grow. He uses his body as well as any guard in this class and can score from all three levels of the floor. Knueppel solidified his case as a top-ten pick through the postseason, as the 6'7 wing averaged 17.2 points and 3.6 assists per game on 51.2% shooting from the field and 44.1% from the perimeter through the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. Knueppel took home the ACC Tournament MVP, stepping up after Flagg missed almost the entirety of the conference tournament with an injury.
#43 overall - Isaiah Evans - Utah Jazz
Two of the projected second-round guys from Duke will have very interesting offseason decisions to make, and Evans is one of those guys. A former five-star recruit, Evans proved he was one of the best three-point shooters in the nation and has serious potential as a 3-and-D prospect in the NBA. Evans' role this past season in Durham was strictly shooting and defense. 81% of his shot attempts this season, and 78% of his makes came from three. If he elects to come back to Duke, he will likely start and move into a much more elevated role from 2024-25. If he can show how consistent of a 3-and-D threat he can be at 6'6, there could be serious lottery or first-round buzz for him after next season. Evans will also have to decide if he will remain at Duke or enter the transfer portal if he stays in college, as it's been reported that Evans would have tons of interest in the portal.
#52 overall - Tyrese Proctor - Los Angeles Clippers
Proctor is the other Blue Devil who will probably be thinking long and hard over the next weeks about whether to remain in college or take the jump to the NBA. The junior had his best season in a Duke uniform in 2024-25, tallying career highs in points per game (12.4), field goal percentage (45.2), and three-point percentage (40.5). It looked like Proctor was going to boost his draft buzz dramatically in the NCAA Tournament, as the Australian was playing like the best guard in the country through the first few rounds. Through the Blue Devils' first four tournament games, Proctor averaged 17 points per game on 60% shooting from the floor and 64% from three. He lost his mojo in the Final Four, however, putting up seven points on 2-of-8 shooting and 0-of-4 from three. His decision will be interesting, as there's a good chance he could earn more money at the college level next season than in the NBA. Almost all second-round picks are on two-way or non-guaranteed deals, and Proctor could likely make a bigger salary in college next year. It's a similar situation to Alabama's Mark Sears last season, who tested the NBA waters but ultimately decided to come back to Tuscaloosa in 2024-25 for a larger paycheck.
#53 overall - Sion James - Memphis Grizzlies
The Tulane grad transfer put his name on the map as an NBA prospect in a big way this season. At 6'6 and 220 pounds, James is built like an NFL linebacker and has an innate ability to get downhill quick and finish at the rim. The senior also displayed the ability to guard the one through four at any position on the court and showed how good of a passer he could be, constantly finding his teammates on the perimeter for open kick-out threes. The Georgia native is also one of the smartest guards in this class and rarely makes mistakes. James dished 115 assists this season to just 47 turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.44. He's a built and experienced guard that brings effort and poise to whichever NBA franchise selects him, and every Duke fan in the country is rooting for James to hear his name called on draft night.
Six Blue Devils come in as selections in ESPN's latest mock draft, and a few have lots of thinking to do on what path they'll decide to take. Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach are gone. James is gone, as he is out of eligibility. The guys Duke fans should be keeping an eye on are Proctor, Evans, and Caleb Foster.