Thoughts on Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, and Kon Knueppel in the Duke-Illinois Game

February 26th, 2025

This time around, I decided to take the time to watch Duke and Illinois play in Madison Square Garden that took place on February 22nd, as this featured numerous top prospects such as Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kon Knueppel, and Isaiah Evans. Duke got off to a hot start early, and they routed Illinois by winning by forty-three points. Isaiah Evans had a terrific game, and Duke played extremely well on both ends of the floor, and Flagg lived up to his billing as the likely number one overall pick for the 2025 draft. Here are my thoughts on how Flagg, Evans, and other various prospects fared, as well as where they may currently stack up as prospects for the NBA.

Duke’s 6-9 freshman forward, Cooper Flagg scored 16 points, and had 7 rebounds and 5 assists in his team’s 110-67 win over Illinois at Madison Square Garden on February 22nd.
(Photo: Frank Franklin II/Associated Press, via Kennebec Journal)

Cooper Flagg had a strong showing on both ends of the floor to lead his team to a blowout win over Illinois. He is a very athletic, energetic forward that showed off a diverse skill set, and he had another very good all-around performance to help get his team the victory.

Flagg did a very good job of scoring off the dribble. He showed a knack for going hard to his left to score, as he can finish plays in traffic, has a crafty pump fake that he can utilize to get past his man, and he also has a quick burst that allowed him to rise up and score on a thunderous dunk.

Plus, he also pulled up to make a smooth three-pointer to show off his shooting skills. He also showed that he can ably score on the move, as he drove in transition to score on a magnetic jam. On the other hand, he struggled to score in the post and missed on some contested jumpers at times. He also didn’t look for his own shot as much as expected.

He also showcased solid playmaking skills in this game. Flagg is a very good passer that can throw pinpoint passes out on the move, and he also has the court vision to consistently find open teammates to rack up assists. He also showed that he can make quick passes as well as pass off the dribble, and he also threw a lob pass to set up a score for a teammate once. On one play though, he tried to set a screen too quickly, which led him to be called for an offensive foul and a turnover. Another time, he had a ball poked away when handling it that led to another.

Also, Flagg did a very good job of rebounding the basketball, and he has a great combination of size, athleticism, timing, and ball location skills. He also defended well. He was able to intercept a pass to get a steal. He also would actively contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to help his team get stops. He also managed to deflect a pass out of bounds. On the downside, sometimes he would play too aggressively at times, as there was one play where he closed out too hard that led him to get beat off the dribble and allow a score. Another time, he showed solid recovery speed but then bit on a pump fake to commit a foul on a drive.

Overall, Flagg played very well to help lead his team to a double-digit win over Illinois, and he has continued to show why he is considered to be the top pick of the 2025 draft. He is a smart, skilled athletic player that does everything well, and he could end up being a star player in the NBA.

Isaiah Evans scored 17 points on 5 of 8 shooting, made 3 threes, and dished out 2 assists in Duke’s 110-67 win over Illinois at Madison Square Garden in New York on February 22nd. (Photo: Frank Franklin II/Associated Press, via Idaho State Journal)

Duke’s 6-6 freshman guard, Isaiah Evans put forth a terrific showing to lead his team to a blowout win over Illinois. He is an athletic, skilled sharpshooter that did a great job of shooting and scoring the basketball, and he showed off a variety of skills to help his team get the victory.

Evans showed a knack for running off pin downs to make quick, spot-up threes off the catch. He also dribbled left off of a screen to make an open pull-up three. Plus, he also ran off of a screen to make a quick, mid-range jumper. Evans is a terrific movement shooter that also showed the ability to make shots off the dribble, and he particularly was effective at driving to his left to do so. Plus, he also was able to score on a quick, backdoor cut once.

He also displayed solid playmaking skills. He passed and handled the ball well, and he was able to make a crisp drive and kick pass to set up a score for a teammate. Also, Evans was able to get a pair of defensive boards to chip in on the glass. Defensively, he looked to be fairly average. On one good play, he was able to stay in front of his man and contest a mid-range shot to force a miss. Sometimes though, he would occasionally struggle to move his feet when defending opponents off the dribble.

In general, Evans had an excellent performance in leading his team to a blowout win over Illinois. He is a highly skilled swingman whose movement shooting combined with his size, athleticism, scoring ability, and upside make him a very underrated prospect, and he would be a good pick for an NBA team in the lottery of the 2025 draft, as he has the skills to be a very solid player in the NBA.

Kon Knueppel also had a strong showing to help lead his team to a double-digit win over Illinois. He is an agile, skilled swingman that excelled as a shooter and scorer in this game. He excelled at making shots in a variety of ways, as he would score on strong, crafty drives to the hoop, and he also managed to make an open corner three to remind people that he is a sharpshooter. He also showcased fairly solid playmaking skills, and he is a cerebral player that can make passes off the dribble and can find teammates on the move to set up numerous scoring chances for his teammates.

He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball, and he especially was active at crashing the glass to get offensive rebounds. He also played decent defense in this game. Knueppel is an active, aggressive defender that would jump on loose balls and passes to get steals and deflections, and he also would contest threes to force some misses. However, he had some trouble defending in one-on-one situations as well as off of cuts, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores.

Overall, Kon Knueppel played very well to help lead his team to a double-digit victory over Illinois. He showed off better than advertised athleticism and in turned in a solid all-around game, as he is a very skilled swingman that could be a likely lottery pick in 2025, and could end up being a solid player in the NBA.

Khaman Maluach also played very well in his team’s win over Illinois. He is a very tall, athletic and energetic center that excelled at making hustle plays on both ends of the floor. He particularly excelled as a finisher around the basket, and at scoring on the move. He would catch lobs off of rolls to score on emphatic dunks to finish plays above the rim. He also was able to get a strong score while getting fouled to show his ability to score out of the post. Plus, he also is an unselfish player that would make timely passes to set up scores for his teammates.

Also, he rebounded very well. Maluach has a keen nose for the ball, and he was able to get multiple boards on both ends of the floor. Plus, he also played solid defense in this game. Maluach was able to block a shot to a teammate to help his team protect the paint, and he has the length, athleticism, and quickness to stay in front of his man both out on the perimeter and in the paint to contest shots in order to regularly force misses. On one play though, he shaded too far one way when defending in the post to allow a score. Another time, he gave up too much space to his man and ended up allowing him to score on a three-point shot.

Overall, Maluach played very well in his team’s win over Illinois, and he is a very athletic and talented center that will likely be a lottery pick in the 2025 draft, as he has the skills to be a very solid player in the NBA.

Sion James also had a strong showing in his team’s win over Illinois. He is an athletic, skilled swingman that made very solid plays on both ends of the floor. He shot the ball very well, particularly from downtown, as he excelled as a spot-up shooter from beyond the arc. He also excelled as a scorer off the dribble.

Plus, he also passed the ball very well, as he showed off very solid playmaking skills. He was able to push the pace and throw a crisp outlet pass to find a teammate on the break to notch an assist once. James also was able to get his fair share of boards in this game. Also, he defended very well. He was able to poke a ball out of bounds, and he would actively contest jumpers to force misses.

Overall, James played very well to help get his team a blowout win over Illinois. He is a versatile player that can help his team in a variety of ways. He would be a very good find for the NBA team that gets him in the future, as he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Tomislav Ivisic quietly played well in his team’s loss to Duke. He is a very tall, skilled center that particularly showed off impressive passing skills due to possessing strong court vision, as he would consistently throw nice passes to find cutters to set up a wealth of scoring chances for them. He also showed off diverse offensive skills, as he can finish plays on the move, and he also was able to make an open three-pointer. He struggled to consistently make shots, but Ivisic’s strong playmaking skills, especially for a player his size was definitely a sight to see.

Though he didn’t grab many rebounds in this game, he was able to get multiple offensive boards when he was on the floor. He also seemed to play decent defense in this game. Ivisic is an active help defender that would rotate to block and contest shots to force misses. On the downside, sometimes he would play too aggressively and wind up out of position, and other times he wouldn’t move his feet well when defending opponents off the dribble.

Overall, Ivisic is a very skilled big man that consistently made strong passes throughout the game, and he played better than the box score stats indicated. Particularly, he showed a very impressive ability to hit cutters to show off his strong passing skills and court vision in this game. He could end up being a solid role player in the NBA, and he would be a very good find for an NBA team in the late first to the second round range of the 2025 draft.

Caleb Foster made a late entrance to the game, but he had a big impact to help Duke in the second half of this game. He is an athletic, skilled guard that showed off particularly impressive offensive skills. He excelled as a shooter and scorer on offense. He showed a knack for making timely threes, as he can make them both off the catch and dribble, and he can make shots on the move. Plus, he also excelled at scoring off the dribble, and he is a three-level scorer that provided instant offense off the bench.

He also displayed adequate playmaking skills, and he is an unselfish player that is willing to make the extra pass, although sometimes his passes can also lead to turnovers. Unfortunately, he did not grab a rebound in this game. Defensively, he looked to be about average at best. He was active defensively, but he had trouble defending opponents off of cuts, which would lead his team to commit fouls.

Overall, Foster played very well in this game, and he is a skilled, athletic sharpshooter that could be a solid pick in the second round of the 2025 draft. He’ll need to be a more consistent player in games, but his skill set, versatility, and upside could enable him to be a solid role player in the league.

Kasparas Jakucionis had a decent showing in his team’s loss to Duke. He is an athletic, skilled guard that played aggressively and made some solid plays on both ends of the floor, but he also was unable to make any of his three-pointers in this game, as his three-point shooting has continued to decline recently.

Jakucionis excelled as a scorer off the dribble and off of cuts, and he showed good smarts, decisiveness, and the balance to consistently do so. He also showed off solid playmaking skills. He is a crafty playmaker that can make crisp passes off the dribble and can find teammates on the move to set up a wealth of scoring chances for his teammates. He also set a fairly solid screen for a teammate once. Sometimes though, he would over-dribble, which would lead him to commit ball-handling turnovers.

Also, he rebounded the ball well. He also played adequate defense in this game. Jakucionis would jump on passes and loose balls to help his team get steals, and he also has the athleticism, motor, and recovery speed to rotate and block shots to get stops for his team. On the downside, sometimes he would struggle to defend quicker opponents or would space out, which would lead him to commit fouls and allow scores when defending off the dribble or off of cuts.

Overall, Jakucionis played well in his team’s tough loss to Duke. He is an agile, cerebral playmaker that has a diverse skill set. He will likely end up being a lottery pick, despite his recent struggles from beyond the arc, and he is a very skilled guard that could end up being a solid complementary player in the NBA.

Tyrese Proctor had a fairly solid showing to help lead his team to a double-digit win over Illinois. He especially excelled on offense, as he made shots and good passes to help his team in this game. He is a skilled playmaker that has solid court vision, and he was able to make a quick drive and wraparound pass to find a teammate in the paint to notch an assist.

He also was able to score in a variety of ways, as he ran off of a ball screen to make a quick three to showcase his movement shooting skills, and he also is a solid pull-up shooter from the mid-range. He also showed that he can score on smooth drives to the hoop, but sometimes he would struggle to score in traffic.

He also was able to haul in boards on both ends of the floor to help his team on the glass. He also played adequate defense. Proctor would consistently contest shots both out on the perimeter and in the paint to help his team force misses, and he also successfully drew a charge to get a stop once. However, he also had trouble defending opponents off the dribble and off of cuts, which would lead his team to commit fouls and allow scores, and he also fouled an opponent on a three-point shot once.

Overall, Proctor played fairly well in his team’s win over Illinois, and he is a tall, skilled point guard that could be a solid pick for an NBA team in the second round of the 2025 draft, as he could project to be a game-managing point guard in the NBA.

Illinois’ 6-8 freshman swingman, Will Riley had his ups and downs in his team’s loss to Duke. He is a skilled, fairly athletic swingman that showed that he can make shots smoothly off the dribble and he also drew free throws off of a cut. He also has solid court vision, as he can make a drive and kick pass to find the open man, and he showed off some point forward skills that time. On the downside, he had trouble scoring out of the post, and he also threw a hasty pass that got intercepted once.

Plus, he also did a good job of rebounding the basketball. He also seemed to play adequate defense. He can contest jump shots to force misses, but he also had some trouble defending opponents off the dribble. Overall, Riley is an agile, skilled swingman that has some solid offensive skills, but he will need to be a more consistent shooter in games. Still, he may have considerable upside, and he could be a solid pick for an NBA team in the second round range of the 2025 draft.

Tre White is an athletic, energetic forward that generally excelled as a shooter, scorer, and rebounder in his team’s loss to Duke. He showed off versatile scoring skills, as he excelled at scoring on hustle plays, made a spot-up three, and he scored on a contested fadeaway jumper off the dribble late in the game to showcase some impressive scoring prowess. Plus, he also drew three free throws on a rip move when taking a corner three, which is a pro move that showed that he is advanced at drawing fouls on the opposition to get to the foul line.

He also rebounded the ball well, and he was able to recover to block a shot off of a drive to show some defensive skills. Overall, White is an athletic, skilled forward that has been playing well for Illinois this year, and he could end up being a solid role player in the NBA.

Kylan Boswell had a fairly solid showing in his team’s loss to Duke. He excelled as a scorer, rebounder, and he made a slew of solid defensive plays to help his team in this game. He showed a knack for scoring on strong drives to the hoop, and he showed off good scoring touch around the basket. He also pulled up to make a mid-range shot once, and he also was able to catch a lob to draw free throws on a backdoor cut. However, he didn’t make any of his threes, and he was quite turnover prone, as he would over-dribble and commit ball-handling turnovers.

He also rebounded and defended well. Boswell is an aggressive, tenacious defender that would get his hands on passes and poke balls away to get steals and deflections. He also hustled back to block a shot out of bounds.

Overall, Boswell played fairly well, but he will need to improve his jump shot and take better care of the basketball. He’ll need more time to hone his game, but if he can continue to improve as an overall player, he could end up being a backup point guard in the NBA one day.

Duke’s 6-11 freshman center, Patrick Ngongba II was able to make some solid plays in this game. He excelled at scoring on the move, as he particularly thrived at scoring on tip-ins. Though he struggled to consistently score in one-on-one situations, Ngongba was able to use a spin move to score on a turnaround jump hook once, and he showed off solid athleticism and handles for a big man.

He also is a good screen setter that would help create driving lanes for his teammates to set up scores for them. Plus, Ngongba also threw a timely touch pass to a cutter to notch an assist.

Plus, he also rebounded the ball very well. He also played adequate defense. Ngongba was able to contest a three to force a miss. He also rotated to poke a ball away to get a steal. On the downside, he didn’t communicate to his teammates effectively in a screen situation as his team allowed a score that time. Another time, he didn’t move his feet very well when defending in the post, which led him to commit a foul.

Overall, Ngongba had his ups and downs, but he is a promising prospect that made solid winning team plays to help his team on the floor. He’ll need to continue to improve and improve his ability to score in face-up situations, but he is an athletic big man with an emerging skill set, which could make him to be an interesting prospect to watch in the future.

Mason Gillis quietly had a solid all-around game in his team’s win over Illinois. He ran quickly off of a ball screen to make a three-pointer, which illustrated his ability to excel as a movement shooter. He also was able to make a quick drive and kick pass to set up a score for his teammate on the break. Another time though, he threw a hasty pass that got intercepted once.

He also did a decent job of rebounding the basketball. Gillis played satisfactory defense. He would contest deep threes to force misses. He also poked a ball away to help his team get a steal. On one play though, he got beat off the dribble to allow a score.

Overall, Gillis is a strong, mobile forward that can project into a 3 and D role at the NBA level. He is an unselfish player that will play within the team system, and has quietly played his role well in college. Even if he doesn’t end up making it to the NBA, he could end up carving out a solid playing career in professional basketball.

Duke’s 5-8 senior point guard, Spencer Hubbard got some run towards the end of the game, and he made an open, step-back three to fire up his team and the crowd towards the end of the game. He is a little-used reserve on a loaded team, but he was able to showcase his skills in this game.

All in all, it was fascinating to watch this game, even though this game ended up being a blowout. That’s all for now, and thanks for reading.