The whole world knows that Duke basketball freshman superstar Cooper Flagg will be the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft to the Dallas Mavericks. However, there hasn't been too much buzz surrounding Khaman Maluach or Kon Knueppel with specific NBA franchises. Both are projected to be top-ten picks; the question now is where they will land.
A recent ESPN mock draft had Knueppel all the way to the fourth overall pick to Charlotte, while most mocks slot Maluach at picks seven or eight. But besides their draft status, who's actually the better NBA prospect between the two?
This is a pretty difficult debate to have given that Knueppel and Maluach are, for one, two completely different players, while also being at two completely different stages of their respective developments. Knueppel is as NBA-ready of a prospect in this class, whereas Maluach will need lots of fine-tuning, specifically on the offensive side of the ball.
In terms of a prospect that can help a team win now, it's definitely Knueppel over Maluach. The 6'7 wing is the best shooter in this draft class, knocking down 40.6% of his threes on 5.3 attempts a night at Duke, while also being a phenomenal driver of the basketball, finishing well through contact off two feet.
Knueppel's catch-and-shoot ability mixed with his defensive prowess separates him from other guards in this draft. He doesn't get sped up, rarely makes mistakes, and always makes himself available on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, he's an elite perimeter defender who can guard the one through four at 6'7.
As for Maluach, his defensive potential is what gives him possible future superstar status in this draft. At 7'2 and 250 pounds, Maluach can guard the one through five on the court while also being able to run the floor with the guards in transition, something that just hasn't been seen very much before from a seven-footer. He was able to switch onto guards defensively while with the Blue Devils, which was a big reason why Duke boasted the fourth-best defense in the nation in 2024-25 per KenPom.
Maluach was also a constant lob threat out of the pick-and-roll, making him very valuable in today's NBA.
Between the two Blue Devil rookies, the 7'2 South Sudanese center probably has more star potential, but will likely require more patience than Knueppel by whatever franchise drafts him. Knueppel is ready to come in and contribute to winning on day one, whereas Maluach may need some time to acclimate to the NBA game.
So, in terms of deciding which of the two is a better prospect, it's practically an impossible question to answer, considering the two are totally different players. It depends almost entirely on the team's needs. However, regarding superstar potential, it's probably Maluach ahead of Knueppel, with his potential to switch one through five defensively, be an elite rim-protecting big, and become a consistent inside threat with the pick-and-roll offensively.
Knueppel is so polished, he fits the perfect mold of a modern 3-and-D wing in the NBA. He defends as clean as any prospect, already possesses elite catch-and-shoot ability, and can work off the ball.
It will be intriguing to watch where both Knueppel and Maluach end up on draft night, as it seems anything can happen within the top ten picks with the duo.