Duke basketball center rejects Cooper Flagg shot attempt twice in one possession

Two things seem to be true throughout the early stages of the Duke basketball preseason; Cooper Flagg will score a lot of points and Khaman Maluach will break a lot of shots.

However, it was the center who got the best of the forward in a recent practice.

The Blue Devils social media team posted a new episode of Duke Blue Planet late last week and Maluach was a major focal point of the 23-minute video as he received a private coaching lesson from Dereck Lively and was at the center of what Jon Scheyer wanted to accomplish on offense.

Despite his improving offensive skillset, Maluach's defense that provided the biggest standout play as he blocked a 3-point shot attempt from Cooper Flagg and after the rookie got the ball back on an offensive rebound from Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown, Maluach blocked Flagg again as he tried to drive to the basket for a layup.

The sequence shows why so many NBA teams are high on Khaman Maluach and his potential.

Recent 2025 NBA mock drafts have the Duke center being selected as high as the Top-10 and organizations believe that his offensive repertoire will continue to develop after he flashed potential with South Sudan this summer but his defense will be his biggest asset early in his career.

Khaman Maluach stepped away from the team late in its workouts during the summer to compete with his country in the Olympics. Although he did not receive a lot of playing time, the experience served as a valuable teaching moment for the young standout.

As for Flagg, he still remains the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft and anticipation continues to build around his Blue Devil debut.

Duke will open its season against Maine on Monday, November 4 inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.