Observing Cooper Flagg, KJ Adams, and AJ Storr in the Kansas-Duke Game
November 27th, 2024
By Alan Lu
Yesterday, I took the time to watch Cooper Flagg and Duke take on Kansas in the Terry’s Chocolate Vegas Showdown that was held in Las Vegas. Kansas got off to a strong start, but Duke was able to hang in there to stay in the game. Flagg got off to a slow start, but he made a bevy of strong plays in the second half, and Duke was bolstered by the strong playmaking skills of Kon Knueppel and received strong contributions from Maliq Brown. KJ Adams and Dajuan Harris both played very well for Kansas. The game was especially up for grabs when Hunter Dickinson committed a Flagrant 2 Foul and got ejected, but Kansas was able to hold on to get a 75-72 win over Duke. Here are my thoughts on how various prospects fared in this game.
Cooper Flagg scored 13 points, and had 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal, and he also made a three-pointer in his team’s 75-72 loss to Kansas yesterday. (Photo: Getty Images, via CBS Sports)
Cooper Flagg put forth a fairly solid performance in his team’s loss to Kansas. Though he had a slow start, he played well in the second half to keep his team in the game. Flagg showed off versatile scoring skills, combined with the ability to finish plays above the rim, and he also made some solid plays on both ends of the floor. However, he struggled with turnovers, and his tendency to over-dribble and struggles to handle ball pressure led Duke to commit some costly turnovers in this game.
Flagg showed a knack for scoring on hustle plays. He would get the ball on short rolls, and he would use his great length and athleticism to rise up and score on ferocious dunks in traffic. He also shot the ball well from the outside. Though he didn’t look to shoot much, Flagg was able to make an open three off the catch, and he also pulled up to make a smooth mid-range jumper, and the fact that Flagg is making more threes than when he initially started out is an encouraging sign for his future.
On the downside, he struggled to score more in one-on-one situations. He was better as a scorer off the dribble than out of the post. Flagg was able to drive hard to the hoop to score on a running layup in traffic. On the downside, he would tend to take tough, contested fadeaway jumpers when posting up that would lead to misses. Though Flagg showcased decent playmaking skills and passed the ball well, he would tend to over-dribble, which would lead him to get stripped and lose the ball to commit ball-handling turnovers.
Also, Flagg was able to collect his fair share of boards when he was on the floor. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. For the positives, he would get his hands on passes to get steals and deflections. He also was able to contest a floater to force a miss. On the downside, he would play too aggressively at times, but would end up out of position, which would lead his team to be in compromised situations. Other times, he would sag too far off his man, and he would give up too much space, which would allow opponents to score on outside shots.
Overall, Flagg played fairly well, as he was able to make some riveting plays in the second half, but his struggles to limit turnovers on offense made it difficult for him to establish a rhythm in the early going. Flagg will need to be a more consistent outside shooter and will need to take better care of the basketball, but he is a very athletic forward whose solid set of all-around skills combined with having a terrific motor could enable him to be a likely top 3 pick in the 2025 draft.
KJ Adams had a strong all-around game, as his sterling mid-range shooting combined with making accurate passes and terrific defensive plays helped Kansas get a narrow win over Duke.
(Photo: Lucas Peltier/Associated Press, via Newsday)
KJ Adams had a strong showing to help lead Kansas to get a close win over Duke. He is an athletic, energetic combo forward that has been expanding his game on offense, as he showed off a smooth mid-range shot, passed the ball well, and he played smothering defense to get his team the victory.
Adams showed a knack for making smooth, mid-range jumpers in this game. He’s especially shown that he can pull up to make mid-range jumpers, and he also ran off of a curl cut to make a quick mid-range shot. He also passed the ball well, and Adams threw crisp interior passes, as he also was able to throw a lob to Bidunga to set up a dunk for his teammate.
Though he didn’t get many boards in this game, Adams was able to get a pair of defensive rebounds for his team. Adams also defended very well. He showed a knack for making quick rotations to block shots to help his team protect the paint, and he also would intercept passes and poke balls away to get steals. He showed good lateral agility and would stay in front of his man to force misses and turnovers.
In general, KJ Adams played very well, and he was impactful as both an energy player and as a shutdown defender, and he provided a reliable mid-range shot to help his team get the win. He helped lead Kansas to get a big win over Duke, and while Adams will need to expand his range to add a reliable three-point shot, he could project to be an upper-tier defensive specialist in the NBA.
(Source: Twitter/@MarchMadnessMBB)
AJ Storr also played well to help lead Kansas to a win over Duke. He had a very good first half, as he showed off versatile scoring skills, played unselfishly, and was able to score impressively athletic dunk to give his team a big boost early on.
Storr excelled at scoring on the hustle plays. He was able to catch a lob pass off of a quick backdoor cut, which enabled him to score on a high-flying, alley-oop dunk. He also shot the ball well from the outside. Storr showed a knack for making open threes off the catch. He also dribbled off of a screen to score on a mid-range floater while getting fouled that time. He struggled to score off the dribble consistently, but he showed that he is an athletic scorer that can make shots in a variety of ways.
He also showcased adequate playmaking skills. Storr is an unselfish player that will look to find the open man, which netted him a pair of assists. However, he also was a bit turnover prone. He was called for traveling when driving to the hoop once. He also threw a hasty pass that got intercepted another time.
On the downside, he did not grab a single rebound in this game. Also, Storr defended well in this game. He was able to get a steal, and he also has the strength, length, and positioning to defend both out on the perimeter and in the paint to force misses. On one play though, he got beat off the dribble and slipped, which allowed his opponent to score on a mid-range jumper.
Overall, Storr had a solid showing to help get Kansas the win over Duke. He is a very athletic swingman that excelled as a shooter, scorer, and defender in this game. He is a high upside prospect as he can help his team in many different ways, and Storr is a talented player that could end up being a first round pick in the 2025 draft.
Dajuan Harris also had a strong showing to help lead Kansas to a win over Duke. He put forth a very good all-around game, as he put his versatility, skill set and high basketball IQ on display to help his team get the victory.
Harris showed a knack for scoring off the dribble as well as on fast breaks. He would often score on quick drives in transition, and he also scored on a strong floater while getting an extra free throw once. He also ran the floor to score on a dunk. While he didn’t take many threes in this game, Harris was able to pull up to make an open three-pointer from beyond the arc.
Also, he showed off good playmaking skills in this game. Harris would throw lobs to find cutters to notch assists, and he also excelled at making drive and kick passes to find open shooters. He also was able to get boards on both ends of the floor. Harris also defended very well. He would intercept passes to get steals, and he also poked a ball away to nearly get another. He also managed to successfully draw a charge when defending an opponent on a drive.
In summary, Harris played very well to help get his team a big win over Duke, and he put forth a strong all-around game in doing so. He is an athletic playmaker that can make solid plays on both ends of the floor, and he could project to be a solid rotational point guard in the NBA.
Kon Knueppel had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Kansas. Though he didn’t shoot the ball well, he did a great job of passing the basketball to rack up assists.
Knueppel showed off solid playmaking skills in this game. He excelled at making passes off the dribble and would make timely passes to find teammates on the move to set up numerous scores for them. He generally showed good patience and court vision, and he also can make wraparound passes and can make passes in give-and-go situations. On the downside, sometimes he would rush and over-penetrate, which would lead to a couple of hastily thrown passes that got intercepted, and he also committed a charging foul another time.
On the downside, despite coming in with the sharpshooter label, he hasn’t shot the ball very well against top teams in big games just yet. Knueppel struggled to make shots against Kentucky, and he missed all of his threes against Kansas in this game, despite getting plenty of open spot-up threes off the catch. On the plus side, he was better as a scorer off the dribble and in the post. Knueppel was able to drive in to score on a crafty, reverse layup as well as on a turnaround mid-range jumper. He also scored on a crafty jump hook out of the post. However, his inability to make threes in this game really hurt his shooting percentages on offense.
Also, he was able to chip in to get a few boards to help his team on the defensive glass. Defensively, he really struggled in this game. On one good play, he contested a corner three to force a miss. However, he tended to over-help in the lane and be late on his rotations, which would lead him to allow opponents to score on open threes. Other times, he would get beat off the dribble and on cuts, which would lead his team to give up open baskets. He also had trouble fighting through screens, which would put his team in compromised situations.
Overall, Kon Knueppel had his ups and downs, but he passed the ball well in his team’s loss to Kansas. He’ll need to be a more consistent shooter and scorer than he’s shown so far, and he’ll need to improve his defense, but his offensive skills could allow him to get looks from NBA teams in the first round of the 2025 draft.
Tyrese Proctor did a great job of making threes, as he showed that he can do so off the catch and dribble, and he also can run off ball screens to knock down outside shots from beyond the arc. In this game, his sharpshooting prowess allowed Duke to stay in the game, and Proctor also rebounded the ball well.
However, he didn’t fare quite as well in the non-shooting scoring, or rebounding related elements of the game. He didn’t get many assists, and he was turnover prone due to his tendency to over-dribble and struggles to create separation as a lead ball-handler. He also struggled a bit defensively, as he wouldn’t quite stay in position when defending opponents off the dribble, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores. Overall, Proctor will need to improve his court vision and playmaking skills, as he’ll need to do a better job of helping his team generate more scoring chances on offense, but his shooting and scoring skills combined with his skill set could enable him to be a second round pick in the 2025 draft.
Rylan Griffen had his ups and downs, as he didn’t shoot well from the outside, but he was able to make some key plays to help Kansas get the win. Griffen scored on a strong drive and got an extra free throw to help give Kansas some much needed momentum down the stretch. He also played satisfactory defense, and he intercepted a key pass in the final minute of the game. Overall, Griffen didn’t have his best game, as he was too passive at times, and he didn’t shoot the ball well from the outside, but he is an agile, skilled swingman that made winning plays down the stretch, and he could end up being a serviceable role player in the NBA.
Maliq Brown quietly had a solid showing in his team’s loss to Kansas. He played tough, pesky defense, as he would poke balls away and intercept passes to get many steals and deflections for his team. He also would contest shots in the paint to force misses.
He also was efficient as a shot maker within limited touches on offense. Brown was able to score on a powerful dunk around the basket. He also made an open three off the catch. He also is an unselfish player that passed the ball well. Overall, Brown did a good job of making shots and defending when he was on the floor, and though he ran into some foul trouble, he is an athletic, high-motor forward that could project into a defensive specialist role in the NBA.
Flory Bidunga also had a satisfactory showing to help Kansas get the win in this game. He excelled as an interior player, and he also rebounded the ball very well. Despite committing some turnovers, he was able to make an impact on both sides of the ball. Bidugna excelled at scoring on emphatic, alley-oop dunks by catching lobs off of cuts to the hoop. On the downside, he would sometimes tend to drop passes and make careless mistakes that would lead to team turnovers.
He also rebounded the ball very well. He also is a solid rim protector that stayed with a drive to block a shot out of bounds, and he also ran in to poke a ball away to nearly get a steal once. Overall, Bidunga is an athletic, high-motor big man that can help shore up a team’s interior, and he could end up projecting to be a rotational big man in the NBA.
Sion James had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Kansas. He excelled at making open, spot-up threes off the catch, and he also scored on a quick put back in traffic, as James shot the ball very well within limited touches on offense. Defensively, he looked to be about average. He is an athletic defender that was able to get blocks and steals in this game. However, sometimes he would struggle to defend quicker players off the dribble, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores. Overall, James was able to make some good plays in this game, and while he’ll need to be more assertive on offense and will need to improve his play on the defensive end, he has the skills to be able to develop into being a serviceable role player in the NBA someday.
Khaman Maluach didn’t play as much nor have as big of an impact in this game as he had against Kentucky or Arizona, but he still was able to make some solid plays, especially on the defensive end. Maluach didn’t look to score much, but he showed that he can score on hustle plays. He was able to score on a powerful dunk off of a roll to the rim. He also is an unselfish player that will look to find the open man, but sometimes he would throw inaccurate passes that would lead to turnovers.
On the downside, he didn’t get many rebounds in this game. He also defended well. He would rotate to block and contest shots off the dribble to force misses, and he also intercepted a pass to get a steal. He did a good job of being active at contesting shots around the basket to protect the paint for his team. On the downside, sometimes he would sag way too far off his man, which would lead his team to allow opponents to score on outside shots. Overall, this wasn’t Maluach’s best game, but he is an athletic, energetic big man that has shown some skills on both ends of the floor. Right now, his defense looks to further along than his offense, but even still, Maluach is a solid prospect that could end up being a solid rim protector in the NBA.
Caleb Foster had a decent showing for Duke in his team’s loss to Kansas. He excelled as a shooter and scorer when he was on the floor. He used a ball fake to make a corner three. Foster also managed to score on a quick drive in transition. On the downside, he would throw hasty, inaccurate passes that would get intercepted.
He also defended well. He was active in contesting shots, and he also was able to rotate to block a shot to help his team protect the paint. Another time, he ran in to tie up an opposing ball handler to nearly get a steal. Overall, Foster is an athletic swingman that played well in this game, and he is a second round prospect that could excel in a 3 and D role in the NBA.
Rakease Passmore played briefly in Kansas’ win over Duke. He was able to score on a strong drive to the hoop in traffic to showcase his promising scoring skills and above average athletic gifts. On the other hand, he also airballed a corner three that missed completely. He hasn’t received much playing time, but Passmore is an athletic swingman that may be a season away from being a solid player at Kansas, and he could be a prospect to watch in the future.
Hunter Dickinson had his ups and downs in his team’s win over Duke. He started off well, but he struggled to consistently score out of the post, but he defended well when he was on the court. However, amidst a scrum for a loose ball, he ended up kicking an opponent in the face, which even though it may have been inadvertent, he was called for a Flagrant 2 Foul that led to his automatic ejection.
Dickinson generally excelled at scoring on hustle plays, and he also made an open three-pointer to showcase a solid outside shot. However, his jump hook wasn’t falling in this game, and his unusual struggles to score out of the post in this game ended up hurting his efficiency as a scorer on offense. He passed the ball well in this game, but he would sometimes get balls poked away, which led him to commit some turnovers.
Also, he did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. He also defended well. He would get his hands on passes and poke balls away to get steals and deflections, and he did a good job of defending and being active to force turnovers. On the downside, he would be too aggressive in pursuit of the ball, which led him to commit fouls and to his ejection.
Overall, Dickinson didn’t have his best game, but he is a tall, skilled center that has been an extremely productive big man in college basketball. On the other hand, his fairly limited mobility and occasional struggles to defend in space can limit his impact at the next level. Still, he has the offensive skills to succeed at the next level, even though his normally reliable jump hook game was off in this game. Dickinson is a second round prospect for the 2025 draft, and he could end up being a serviceable, rotational big man in the NBA.
All in all, those are my thoughts on how Flagg, Adams, Storr, and other various prospects fared in this game. Thanks for reading.