Assessing Isaiah Evans, Cooper Flagg, and Miles Kelly in the Duke-Auburn Game

December 5th, 2024

Yesterday, I took the time to watch Cooper Flagg and Duke square off against Auburn in a very competitive college basketball game that was televised on ESPN. It was a hard-fought game that went back and forth, but Duke received strong performances from freshman guard Isaiah Evans, as well as from their freshman forward Cooper Flagg to get the win. Here are my thoughts on how they and other various prospects fared in this game.

Duke’s 6-6 freshman swingman, Isaiah Evans made six threes and he scored 18 points in 16 minutes to give his team the 84-78 win over Auburn.
(Photo: Ben McKeown/Associated Press, via WBTV)

The most pleasant surprise was that Duke’s 6-6 freshman guard, Isaiah Evans came off the bench and came seemingly out of nowhere to have a fantastic first half to give his team a major boost. He’s an athletic sharpshooter that did a great job of moving off the ball and making open threes off the catch, and Evans ended up making six threes in the first half.

Evans did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball. He was tremendous at running quickly off ball screens to make spot-up threes, and he also excelled at making open threes off the catch, especially from the corners. He also was able to make a patient drive and kick pass to find the open man another time. In this game, Evans showed that he is a movement shooter that did a great job of providing the much needed floor spacing to help Duke.

On the downside, he struggled more when he would look to make plays off the dribble. On one play, he drove to the hoop, but missed on a rushed layup to his left. He also tried to drive to the rim another time, but had a ball ripped away from him to commit a turnover. In this game, Evans was able to haul in a defensive board.

Overall, it was very fun and exciting to watch Isaiah Evans have a tremendous first half, which gave Duke a big boost to help get them the win over Auburn, and he’s come along way this season, as he went from collecting early season DNPs to making big shots against one of the best teams in the country. Is he a future lottery pick? That remains to be seen, and hopefully maybe he will have many more good performances to come. If I were to gauge his NBA potential, I’d say on average, Evans may project to be a Malik Monk-type of player in the NBA, as his skill set would lend well to being a sharpshooting sixth man in the league, but I also think that Evans also may have All-Star potential, as that could be his ceiling. Right now, Evans is an athletic sharpshooter that could be a solid pick in the first round of the 2025 draft.

Cooper Flagg had a tremendous showing, as he scored 22 points, and had 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks to get his team the 84-78 win over Auburn.
(Photo: Ben McKeown/Associated Press, via The Boston Globe)

Cooper Flagg also had a strong performance to help lead Duke to a close win over Auburn. He had a very solid all-around game, as he continually made strong plays throughout, especially down the stretch.

Flagg showed a solid ability to score off the dribble. He is a crafty scorer that has a good shooting touch, and he has the strength, balance, and shooting touch to be able to score and also absorb the contact to get to the free throw line. He also showed that he can score on fadeaway jumpers out of the post. Plus, he also showed the ability to pull up to knock down some mid-range jumpers. On the downside, he would sometimes tend to miss on tough, pull-up jumpers from the mid-range, and Flagg didn’t shoot quite as well from the outside. He also missed all of the threes that he took from beyond the arc.

Plus, he also showed off solid playmaking skills. Flagg is an unselfish player that would make an assortment of timely passes to find the open man, which would enable him to rack up assists. He has solid court vision, and he did a very good job of playing patiently and consistently getting the ball to his teammates.

He also did a great job of rebounding the basketball. Flagg showed a knack for hauling for collecting boards on both ends of the floor, especially on the defensive end. Plus, he also played solid defense in this game. He showed a knack for rotating to block shots off of drives to help his team protect the paint. He also would rotate to poke balls away and he also intercepted a pass to get steals for his team. He also excelled at contesting shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to force misses. On the downside, sometimes he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to pick up some fouls and allow scores.

In general, Cooper Flagg played very well to help get his team the win over Auburn. He did a good job of making energetic, hustle plays on both ends of the floor, and he also made patient, timely passes to notch assists. He did a very good job of playing within the team system, and he has made a strong case to be the top pick of the 2025 draft.

Auburn’s 6-6 senior swingman, Miles Kelly scored 14 points and made 4 three-pointers in his team’s 84-78 loss to Duke. (Photo: Ben McKeown/Associated Press)

Miles Kelly also had a solid showing in his team’s tough loss to Duke. He is an atheltic sharpshooter that made his presence felt early on, and his ability to knock down shots, especially from the outside helped keep Auburn in the game.

Kelly did a very good job of shooting and scoring the basketball. He would run off ball screens to make open spot-up threes off the catch, and he also has a lot of range on his shot. He struggled more to score off the dribble, and he didn’t take as many shots in the second half, but Kelly shot the ball well against Duke.

He also was able to get a few defensive boards in this game. He also played decent defense. Kelly showed a knack for getting steals on the defensive end. However, there was one play where he lost track of his man and was late to rotate, which led his team to give up a three-point basket. Overall, Kelly played very well, and he could end up being a solid 3 and D role player in the NBA.

Auburn’s freshman point guard, Tahaad Pettiford also had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Duke. He is an agile, shifty playmaker that showed a knack for shooting and scoring the basketball, as he did so in a variety of ways. Pettiford excelled at knocking down threes, as he was able to do so both off the catch and dribble. He would run off ball screens to make deep threes. He was able to utilize a smooth, behind-the-back dribble move to make a step-back three. Plus, he also showed a solid ability to score off the dribble. He would use timing and hesitation moves to score on crafty finishes at the rim, and he also managed to score on a nifty floater. Plus, Pettiford was able to utilize a step-back move to make a long two.

He also showcased satisfactory playmaking skills. He is a quick point guard that would make timely passes off the dribble to find open teammates around the basket. On one play though, he lost the ball while handling it to commit a careless turnover.

Also, he was able to get a defensive board once. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average. Pettiford was able to get a steal once. However, he would get overpowered when defending off the dribble, and his lack of size would make it difficult to defend taller opponents, which led him to be foul prone on the defensive end. In summary, Pettiford played very well, and he is a skilled playmaker that could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Sion James had a strong showing to help get Duke a big win in this game. The 6-6 swingman showed a knack for making hustle plays to help his team on both ends of the floor, and he also showed a dribble game to help his team on offense. James was able to score in transition and off of put backs, and he showed a strong ability to take on the contact and draw fouls to get to the free throw line. James also ran the floor and was able to score on a thunderous dunk on a give and go while getting fouled. Plus, he also managed to score on a strong drive to the hoop. Though he missed both of his threes, James excelled at attacking the basket to score on offense.

He also passed and handled the ball well. James is an unselfish player that would find the open man to get his teammates scoring opportunities. He also set a solid screen to help his teammate get open another time. Also, James showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball. He also defended very well. He did a good job of rotating to block shots and intercepting passes to get steals, and he also excelled at contesting outside shots to force misses. On one play though, he got beat on a cut to give up a basket that time.

Overall, Sion James quietly played very well to help get Duke a win over Auburn. He’ll need to continue to improve his outside shot, but his ability to make hustle plays on both ends of the floor and play within the team system combined with having strong athletic gifts could enable him to excel as a serviceable role player in the NBA.

Tyrese Proctor also had a solid game in his team’s win over Auburn. He shot the ball well, especially from beyond the arc, and he also showed that he can make hustle plays on both ends of the floor. Proctor was able to make threes both off the catch and dribble, and he also was able to get a long offensive rebound to make a deep three late in the game. He also managed to score on a high-flying dunk off of an aggressive drive in transition. Plus, he also was able to score on a tough, fadeaway jumper from the mid-range. On the downside, he would sometimes tend to take tough shots that would lead to misses.

He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Proctor was able to make a couple of solid passes, including a lob to a roll man to set up an alley-oop dunk. He also helped set a stagger screen to help a teammate get an open jump shot. On one play though, he over-dribbled and rushed a play, which led to a turnover.

Also, Proctor did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He also played adequate defense. He would get his hands on passes and jump on loose balls to help his team get steals. He also contested a step-back three to force a miss. Sometimes though, he would play too aggressively, which would lead him to commit touch fouls.

Overall, Proctor played fairly well to help his team get a big win over Auburn. His assist numbers have been down this season and he can sometimes be a bit too inconsistent in games, but his ability to make shots and team plays could enable him to end up being a second round pick in the 2025 draft.

Duke’s 6-5 sophomore guard, Caleb Foster also had a solid showing in his team’s win over Auburn. He showed off versatile scoring skills in this game. He showed a satisfactory ability to score off the dribble. He showed that he can finish plays using either hand, and he also was able to score on an acrobatic layup. Foster also ran the floor to make an open three-pointer to showcase his shooting skills. Sometimes though, he would take tough, off-balanced shots that would lead to misses.

He also passed and handled the ball well. Foster was able to net a pair of assists, and he is a fleet-footed guard that was able to quickly push the ball up the court. On the downside, he did not get a single rebound in this game. He didn’t look to be too noticeable defensively. He was active on the defensive end, but he was called for fouling an opponent on a mid-range jump shot once.

Overall, Foster played well to help lead Duke to a win over Auburn. He’s struggled to be consistent at times, but he is an athletic, skilled guard whose versatility and intriguing skill set could enable him to be a second round pick in the 2025 draft.

Chad Baker-Mazara also had a strong showing in his team’s tough loss to Duke. Baker-Mazara showed a knack for knocking down threes, as he was able to make a corner three, as well as a pair of threes off the dribble. He also did a decent job of scoring off the dribble, as he can find crafty ways to get fouled and get to the free throw line, but he would sometimes struggle to score when he wouldn’t get foul calls.

He also passed and handled the ball very well. Baker-Mazara showed a knack for making crisp, interior passes to roll men to set up plenty of scoring chances for them. Plus, he was able to chip in and get a board on each end of the floor. He also seemed to defend well. Baker-Mazara was able to rotate to block a shot off of a drive, and he also deflected a pass another time.

Overall, Baker-Mazara is a fairly athletic, skilled swingman that showed off a solid all-around game, and he was very productive in his team’s loss to Duke. He is an underrated prospect that could project well into a 3 and D role at the NBA level.

Johni Broome had a satisfactory showing in his team’s loss to Duke, as he overcame a slow start and had a solid second half, as he would make hustle plays on both ends of the floor to keep his team in the game.

Broome showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays. He especially thrived at scoring as the roll man, as he would score on strong dunks and layups, and he would absorb the contact to get fouled to get to the free throw line. He also was able to score on a couple of strong put backs. On the downside, he struggled more in one-on-one situations, and he didn’t shoot the ball well from the outside. While Broome was able to score on a quick, left-handed drive, he would take tough, contested shots that would result in misses. Broome was able to score on a drop step move out of the post, but he struggled to consistently find his shooting touch on post-up plays.

As a playmaker, he looked to be fairly average. He did a good job of passing the ball when he would elect to do so. Broome was able to find a cutter to notch an assist. He also passed out of the post to find a teammate across the paint to get him the basketball. However, he would sometimes struggle to protect the ball when driving to the hoop, as he would get balls poked off of himself that would go out of bounds, which would cause him to commit turnovers.

Also, Broome did a great job of rebounding the basketball. Defensively, he looked to be about average in this game. Broome did a good job of blocking shots to help his team protect the paint. He also was acting in playing passing lanes to make it difficult for his opponents to get their passes through. On the downside, he would sometimes play too aggressively, which would cause him to allow scores. Another time, he would sag too far off his man, which led him to give up a mid-range basket.

Overall, Broome didn’t have his best game, but his a strong, mobile big man that can make an impact by making plays in the paint to help his team shore up their interior. He’ll need to add a reliable outside shot to his arsenal, and he’ll need to be a more disciplined defender in games, but he has the motor and the skills to make his way to the NBA someday.

Kon Knueppel didn’t really stand out in this game, but he was fairly solid despite not looking to score very much on offense. Knueppel did a good job of scoring on patient drives to the hoop. While he missed his only three-point attempt, he would’ve made a quick, open three, except it didn’t count because his teammate drew a foul earlier on the play.

Plus, he also passed and handled the ball well. Knueppel is an unselfish player that would make the extra pass, as he would make timely passes to rack up assists. Also, he was able to chip in on the glass to get a board on each end of the floor. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. On one good play, he was able to contest a mid-range shot to force a miss. On the downside, he would get outmuscled when defending opposing ball handlers and in screen situations, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Knueppel didn’t stand out in this game, but he didn’t really have to, as he made some very solid plays within the confines of the team system. He’ll still need to show that he can be a reliable movement shooter in big games, but his passing skills combined with his shooting and scoring potential could enable him to be a mid first round pick in the 2025 draft.

Khaman Maluach also didn’t stand out, nor play that much in this game, but he was able to have some solid moments to help his team get a win over Auburn. Maluach was able to catch a lob off of a roll to score on an emphatic, alley-oop dunk.

He also set solid off-ball screens to help get his teammates open jump shots to help them score on offense. On one play though, Maluach almost scored on a thunderous put back dunk, except it didn’t count because he was called for a push off on an offensive rebounding attempt that led him to commit an offensive foul and a turnover that time.

Also, he was able to get his fair share of boards, as he was able to get rebounds on both ends of the floor. He didn’t have a big defensive impact in this game, and on one possession, he got beat on a drop step move, as the defender went the other way to score out of the post. Overall, this game didn’t really showcase Maluach’s talents that much overall, but he is a very athletic center whose interior play combined with his ability to knock down jump shots could enable him to go in the late lottery to the mid first round range in the 2025 draft.

I had high hopes for Auburn’s 6-7 senior forward, Chaney Johnson in this game, even when he was going up against a very talented Duke team. However, I ended up being unimpressed and feeling underwhelmed with his rather lackluster play in his team’s loss to them.

For the positives, Johnson is a solid finisher around the basket, and he can score on movement plays. He flew in to score on a tip-in while fouled. He also got the ball inside to score around the basket. However, he really struggled to knock down shots from the outside, as he missed all of his threes, and he had trouble connecting from the mid-range.

In this game, he showed off solid playmaking skills. Johnson did a good job of throwing crisp, interior passes quickly to find teammates on the move to set up scores for them. Also, he showed a solid ability to rebound the basketball. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average at best. For the positives, he will apply ball pressure to make it difficult for opposing ball handlers to handle the basketball. However, he would commit touch fouls when defending opposing ball handlers or off the ball, and he was quite foul prone in this game.

Overall, Chaney Johnson didn’t have a great game, but he is an athletic big man that was able to show some potential as an offensive player when he is on the court. He’ll need to be a more reliable outside shooter in games, but if he can add a solid jump shot to his arsenal, then he could end up making it as a Wenyen Gabriel-type of player in the NBA.

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