The Duke basketball team is entering the NCAA Tournament as one of the favorites to win the National Championship but despite its lofty seeding, there is still a lot to prove for the Blue Devils.
After winning the ACC Championship without the services of Cooper Flagg for two and a half games due to an ankle injury, Flagg is likely to return for Friday’s matchup in the Round of 64 but do not expect to see the ACC Player of the Year on this list.
In fact, Flagg has very little to prove in the NCAA Tournament. If Duke were to somehow lose in its opening game Cooper Flagg would still be the No. 1 overall pick in June’s NBA Draft and the same would be the case if he led Duke to the title.
Now, for the players on Duke who have something to prove over the next few weeks and it starts with its leaders.
Tyrese Proctor
Tyrese Proctor has been a steady hand for Duke this season. He was one of just two returning players from last year’s team, but it ended on a sour note for him personally.
During its Elite 8 loss to NC State, Proctor missed all nine of his shots attempts – five of which came from 3-point range – going scoreless in the 10-point defeat. It was a very tough finish to the year for the then sophomore after his strong offensive performance during the first weekend and incredible defense in the final seconds of Duke’s victory over Houston in the Sweet 16.
Now he enters the NCAA Tournament with the best supporting cast he has played with during his time at Duke and there is no more Jeremy Roach to defer to if things get rocky.
It’s Proctor’s show and he has to prove that he can step up and lead this team in a do-or-die situation.
Khaman Maluach
Khaman Maluach has started every game for Duke this season and he is a very important player on the team but there was always the security blanket of Maliq Brown behind him if things were too much for him to handle.
Now, it seems likely that Brown will not play again this season after re-dislocating his shoulder in the ACC Tournament and Maluach must be able to adjust his game to the different styles Duke might see in the NCAA Tournament.
Despite fouling out late against North Carolina in the semifinals, Maluach played well in the ACC Tournament on both sides of the floor and Duke saw freshman Patrick Ngongba continue his rise with Brown sidelined.
It’s a very young frontcourt for Duke entering March Madness, which could be a negative, and Khaman Maluach remains the key for this team to continue its defensive dominance it has shown throughout the regular season.
Kon Knueppel
The idea that Kon Knueppel couldn’t play well against power conference teams is a distant memory. After struggles in games against Kentucky and Kansas, Knueppel would likely have been the ACC Player of the Year if not for Cooper Flagg.
Knueppel proved his worth in the ACC Tournament with Flagg sidelined but now the physicality comes of the NCAA Tournament and the freshman must prove he is ready for the challenge.
While the Wisconsin native doesn’t have much to prove in terms of his college efficiency, there has been growing chatter about the success he could have at the NBA level with what he has showcased at Duke.
For someone projected to be selected in the Top-10, some scouts have argued he doesn’t have the characteristics to be a franchise changing player rather he could only be a role player in the NBA due to his elite level of shooting.
Could Kon Knueppel change the minds of NBA scouts in the tournament? It remains to be seen, but a strong showing against some of elite teams in the country would show to the world that he is more than just a product the success of being Cooper Flagg’s teammate.