Analyzing Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Jaden Bradley in the Duke-Arizona Game

November 24th, 2024

Recently, I took the time to watch Cooper Flagg and Duke take on Arizona in an early season college basketball game that took place on November 22nd. It was a hard-fought defensive battle, but in the end, Cooper Flagg and Duke were able to go on a run to get a double-digit win over Arizona. Maluach had a strong first half, and Flagg was able to overcome a fairly slow start to play well in the second half to help Duke get the victory, and here are my my thoughts on how they other various prospects fared in this game.

Duke’s freshman forward, Cooper Flagg scored 24 points to get his team the 69-55 win over Arizona on November 22nd. (Photo: Darryl Webb/Associated Press, via Sportsnet)

Cooper Flagg had a solid showing to help lead Duke to a double-digit road win over Arizona. Though he got off to a bit of a slow start, Flagg made big shots down the stretch, and he also defended very well in this game. Against Arizona, Flagg scored 24 points, made 2 threes, and he had 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal to get his team the victory.

Flagg showed a solid ability to knock down mid-range jumpers in this game. He showed a knack for making mid-range runners, and he also moved off the ball to score outside the right elbow. He also excelled at scoring off the dribble. He would score and get fouled on strong drives to the hoop, and he was able to drive off of a screen to score on a powerful dunk in traffic. He also was able to get the ball on a short roll to score on a speedy layup. Also, Flagg was able to make a turnaround jump hook to show some low post scoring skills. On the downside, he would tend to take tough, contested shots, and he was sometimes prone to misses due to rushing.

In addition, Flagg showed a satisfactory ability to knock down threes from beyond the arc, and he particularly thrived at making spot-up threes off the catch. He also showcased decent playmaking skills. He is an unselfish player that can make an assortment of passes, as he can make passes off the dribble and find teammates on the move to notch assists. On the downside, he would sometimes tend to over-dribble, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers. Another time, he got doubled near the sideline and he wound up throwing a rushed, hasty pass that got intercepted.

Plus, Flagg did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball, and he was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor. Also, Flagg defended very well. He is a rangy defender that would get his hands on passes to get plenty of steals and deflections, and he has very good length, athleticism, and timing that allowed him to block a corner three to a teammate as well as to block a shot another time to help his team protect the paint. He also would actively contest jump shots to force misses.

In general, Flagg played well in his team’s win over Arizona. He wasn’t quite getting to the free throw line as much in this game, but he made an impact in all of the other ways, as he made key shots down the stretch, proved himself to be a capable outside shooter, and he played very good defense consistently throughout the game. He is a very talented prospect that has a strong set of all-around skills, and he looks to be a solid bet to be the top pick for the 2025 draft.

Khaman Maluach scored all eight of his points in the first half, as the 7-2 freshman center also made a three-pointer and blocked a shot to help lead Duke to a double-digit win over Arizona.
(Photo: Imagn, via Sportskeeda)

Khaman Maluach also played well in his team’s win over Arizona. The 7-2 South Sudanese freshman center had an especially strong showing in the first half, as he was both very efficient as a shot maker and he also showed some range on offense.

Maluach shot the ball well from the outside, and he was able to make an open corner three off the catch. He also excelled at scoring on hustle plays, and as a finisher around the basket. Maluach was able to pivot off of an offensive rebound to score on a turnaround jumper. He also was able to score on a quick roll to the rim while getting fouled.

He also displayed satisfactory playmaking skills. Maluach showed that he can ably pass out of the post, and he also would set solid screens to help his teammates get open driving lanes. Also, he was able to collect his fair share of boards, as he especially was active at collecting offensive rebounds. He also played decent defense in this game. Maluach did a good job of defending in the post, as he would use his length and hold position and contest shots to force misses. He was active at contesting shots to help his team protect the paint, and he also managed to block a shot once. On the downside, sometimes he and his team would struggle to defend on motion plays, which would lead them to give up scores at the rim. He also had a couple of other shot blocking opportunities, but his timing was a bit off despite showing very good athleticism and length, as he wound up being called for goaltending on a couple of occasions.

In summary, Khaman Maluach had a solid showing to help his team get a win over Arizona, and he was able to show that he may be capable of producing more on offense than initially expected. He was able to knock down a three-pointer in addition to having strong interior skills, and Maluach projects to be a likely lottery pick in the 2025 draft.

Arizona’s 6-3 junior guard, Jaden Bradley scored 18 points, and had 5 steals and 3 assists in his team’s tough loss to Duke on November 22nd. (Photo: Darryl Webb/Associated Press, via Idaho State Journal)

Jaden Bradley also played well in his team’s loss to Duke. He is a fleet-footed, combo guard that especially excelled as a shooter and scorer, especially in the first half. He shot the ball very well from the outside, as he showed that he can knock down threes and mid-range jumpers both off the catch and dribble. He also generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays, as he showed that he can score on backdoor cuts as well as on fast breaks. While he was a bit more inconsistent when driving to the rim in this game, Bradley was able to score on a strong drive in traffic once.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Bradley is an aggressive scorer that can ably generate shots for himself. He also showed that he can make a variety of passes, as he was able to make drive and kick passes as well as throw a lob to set up scoring chances for his teammates. Sometimes though, he would over-dribble, which would lead him to turn the ball over.

On the downside, Bradley did not grab a single rebound in this game. He also played satisfactory defense. He was able to run in to poke balls away to get steals, and he also intercepted a pass to get another. On one play though, he got beat on a cut, which led his team to give up a dunk.

Overall, Bradley had a solid showing, as he has seemed to add a reliable outside shot in addition to having strong athletic gifts and the ability to create his own shot consistently. He’ll still need to show NBA teams that he can reliably run the point at higher levels, but he is a talented prospect that could end up going in the late first to the second round range for the 2025 draft.

Kon Knueppel had a decent showing in his team’s double-digit win over Arizona. He shot the ball very well from beyond the arc, and Knueppel showed off his sharpshooting prowess from three-point land. He was able to leap up to get an offensive board due to possessing a good motor, and he dribbled it out to make a smooth three-pointer. He also was able to use a jab step to make an open three smoothly. He is a poised three-point shooter that excels as a marksman from long distances.

On the other hand, he’s not particularly fast or quick, so he struggled to consistently score when he would look to drive to the basket. On one good play though, Knueppel managed to score on a strong drive in traffic. However, he often had trouble getting all the way to the hoop, as he would miss on tough, contested shots, and he also had a couple of his shots blocked.

He also passed and handled the ball well. Knueppel is an unselfish player that has solid court vision, and he would consistently find the open man to notch assists. On one play though, he over-dribbled and got stripped, which led him to turn the ball over.

Also, Knueppel showed a satisfactory ability to rebound the basketball. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average. He would contest threes to force misses. He also defended a drive and tenaciously swiped a ball away to get a steal. On the downside, sometimes he would be late to contest shots, which would lead him to allow opponents to score from the outside. Another time, he got beat off the dribble, which led him to commit a foul and allow a score that time.

Overall, Knueppel had his ups and downs, but he was able to make a slew of good plays in the second half. He’ll need to overcome his athletic limitations, especially on the defensive end, but he’s already shown promise as an outside shooter and passer on offense. He’ll need to fortify his strengths and improve his weaknesses, but Knueppel is a talented prospect that could be a likely first round pick in 2025.

Motiejus Krivas quietly had a good game in his team’s loss to Duke. The Lithuanian center passed the ball very well, and he was quite efficient as a shot maker despite limited touches. Krivas impressed with his passing skills out of the post, as he would find open shooters, and he also was able to hit a cutter to rack up assists. He is a smooth passing big man that displayed good court sense on offense. While he didn’t look to shoot the ball often, he showed some basic low post scoring skills, as well as some ability to play above the rim and score on hustle plays.

Also, he was able to get his fair share of boards, as he especially was active at getting offensive rebounds. He also defended fairly well. Krivas was acting at playing passing lanes and at applying pressure against opposing ball handlers to get deflections, and he also would rotate to contest shots to force misses around the basket. On the downside, he was quite foul prone at times.

Overall, Krivas is a tall, fundamentally sound big man that generally made good passes on offense, and he showed off above average interior skills on both ends of the floor. He’ll need to add a reliable outside shot to his arsenal and improve his rebounding, but he could be an intriguing option for NBA teams to consider in the second round of the 2025 draft.

Tyrese Proctor had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Arizona. He had a strong first half showing, but he didn’t shoot the ball nearly as well in the second half. Proctor was streaky as a shooter in this game, but he was able to make threes both off the catch and dribble. He struggled to make shots consistently, but he was able to drive up the court to score on a high-flying dunk.

He also passed the ball well, and Proctor was able to make an assortment of passes to set up scores for his teammates. He also was able to help out on the boards on both sides of the ball. He also played adequate defense. Proctor was able to jump a pass to get a steal. He also is an active defender that would contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to force misses. On the downside, sometimes he would get outmuscled when defending in on-on-one situations, which would lead him to commit fouls.

Overall, Proctor didn’t have his best game, but he showed off versatile scoring skills, as well as fairly solid playmaking and defensive skills in his team’s win over Arizona. And with Jared McCain having a terrific rookie season in the NBA, this bodes well for Proctor, because he is also a Duke point guard, and Proctor could be due for a breakout season this year. Proctor is a crafty, skilled playmaker that could end up going in the late first to the second round range for the 2025 draft.

Arizona’s 6-4 sophomore guard, KJ Lewis had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Duke. He is a tough, gritty combo guard that showed off versatile scoring skills and played pesky defense in this game. Lewis showed a decent ability to score off the dribble. Lewis can score and get fouled on strong drives to the hoop, and he also showed that he can finish plays through contact. While he didn’t quite shoot as well from the outside, he was able to run off a curl cut to make a mid-range floater, and he also made an open three once. However, Lewis would tend to miss on tough, contested shots at times due to rushing.

He also looked to be fairly average as a playmaker. Lewis can handle the basketball, and he also was able to find an open shooter to notch an assist. Sometimes though, he would over-dribble, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers.

Also, Lewis did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended well. Lewis would get his hands on passes and poke balls away to get a plethora of steals, and he showed a knack for closing out on three-point shooters to force misses. Sometimes though, he wouldn’t quite be in position to defend opponents off the dribble, which would lead him to pick up fouls.

Overall, Lewis is an agile, skilled combo guard that can knock down shots and defend in games. He may be a bit undersized to play out on the wing, but his ability to compete and make plays on both ends of the floor could enable him to be a second round pick in 2025.

Carter Bryant also played well in limited minutes for Arizona in this game. Bryant showed a knack for making open, spot-up threes. He also was able to find open shooters to net a pair of assists. Plus, he also closed out to block a three-point shot to a teammate. On the downside, he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, and he also fouled an opposing ball handler from behind due to over-aggressiveness. Still, he had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Duke, and he could project into a 3 and D role in the NBA.

Caleb Foster had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Arizona. He didn’t have his best game, but he is an athletic swingman that was able to make some solid plays on both ends of the floor. While he didn’t shoot well from the outside, Foster was able to pull up to make a smooth three-pointer. He also ran in to score on a quick tip-in off of an offensive rebound. Plus, he also was able to draw free throws on an aggressive, left-handed drive to the hoop.

Also, Foster did an adequate job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended well. Foster was able to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss, and he also ran in to get a loose ball to get a steal another time. Overall, Foster will need to be a more consistent long-range shooter in games, but he is an athletic, skilled swingman that could end up going in the mid to late second round range in 2025.

Sion James had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Arizona. James played well in the first half, and he was able to make some highlight reel-worthy plays, but he also was quite turnover prone in the second half. James was able to score on an emphatic dunk off of a quick cut. He also showcased a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble, and he was able to use a pump fake to score on a strong drive to the hoop. He didn’t take many outside shots, but he missed a three once in this game.

Sometimes, James would make timely passes to find teammates on the move. However, he tended to commit careless ball-handling turnovers on offense. Also, James rebounded and defended well. He would contest outside shots to force misses, and he also poked a ball away to a teammate to help his team get a steal. On one play though, he sagged too far off his man to allow his opponent to score on a midrange shot. Overall, James is a mobile, energetic swingman that excels at making hustle plays. He’ll need to improve his outside shot and take better care of the basketball, but he is an intriguing prospect that could project to be a serviceable role player in the NBA, especially if he can develop a passable outside shot at that level.

Caleb Love was able to make some good passes and defensive plays, as he showed some court sense on his passes, and he also rotated to make a big block to prevent an opponent from scoring off the dribble. But despite being able to make some impressively athletic plays on both ends of the floor, Love really struggled to knock down shots, especially from the outside, and his inability to get going on offense made it difficult for him to get into a rhythm, as he ended up not shooting the ball well in this game.

All in all, those are my thoughts on how Flagg, Maluach, Bradley, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.