It’s been years since Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 overall pick to the Dallas Mavericks, had any room left for improvement in his placement on mock drafts and big boards. As for fellow Duke basketball freshmen Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel, each has the potential to grow from mid-lottery pick to top-five selection in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on June 25.
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In ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony’s latest update to his top 100 prospects, Maluach and Knueppel jumped a combined three spots. They’re now just a combined three spots from the top five (albeit one must rise at least as high as No. 4 for both to actually be among the first five off the board).
The 7-foot-2 Maluach jumped two spots to No. 6 (Washington Wizards own the pick).
“Maluach is the only true big man projected in our top-10,” Givony wrote, “and pretty much every team in that range would likely consider him a worthy development project to build around long-term.”
Givony bumped the 6-foot-7 Knueppel up one notch to No. 8 (Brooklyn Nets own the pick).
“On the heels of a remarkably efficient freshman season, Knueppel is receiving long looks in the top five of this draft,” he noted, “with his excellent shooting and overall readiness to contribute offensively creating a strong selling point for front offices.”
Meanwhile, three-year Blue Devil starter Tyrese Proctor checks in at No. 43 (Utah Jazz owns the pick) on Givony’s list, three notches above 2024-25 Duke basketball graduate guard Sion James at No. 46 (Orlando Magic owns the pick).
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