From the opening tip, Duke dominated this game, with Cooper Flagg setting the tone. North Carolina struggled to generate any offense, showing only brief signs of life in the second half—but nothing substantial. With multiple prospects on display, let’s dive into each breakdown.

Cooper Flagg

Flagg made his presence felt on both ends of the floor. Whether it was making the right read out of a double-team or creating his own shot, he was locked in from the start. Defensively, he was active in the passing lanes, leading to easy runouts in transition. He knocked down threes, involved his teammates, attacked the basket, and excelled in transition. The play that stood out most to me was a cross-court pass out of a post double-team—an absolute dime—that set up a Tyrese Proctor corner three. Flagg’s game is the most polished in this class, and he’s undoubtedly the frontrunner to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. He finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks.

Elliot Cadeau

Cadeau did his best to spark UNC’s offense, but Duke’s length and UNC’s poor shooting made it a tough night. I like his ability to create off the dribble, especially in pick-and-roll situations, but he turned the ball over a few times while trying to get things going. In my opinion, he was a bit too unselfish—he could’ve taken advantage of mid-range opportunities instead of always looking to pass. Don’t get me wrong, he made some beautiful passes, but I would’ve liked to see him be more aggressive in taking his own shots. Cadeau finished with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 turnovers.

Kon Knueppel

Back to Duke—Kon Knueppel had an efficient game. We all know he can shoot, but he also made plays off the bounce and found teammates for easy buckets. When he gets to the league, I see him primarily as a sharpshooter who can capitalize when defenders fly by on a pump fake—maybe I’m wrong, but that’s my read for now. He uses his body well to get to his spots, but I’m still skeptical about how effective he’ll be at the next level.

Drake Powell & Ian Jackson

UNC’s other two key prospects were Drake Powell and Ian Jackson. I’ve been watching Jackson since high school—I even saw him play at The Battle in Queens—so I know what he’s capable of. But last night just wasn’t his night. Like the rest of UNC, he struggled offensively. He’s at his best with the ball in his hands, Jackson also tried to get to the rim, but Duke packed the paint and made it nearly impossible to finish inside.

Powell, on the other hand, showed flashes of potential. He knocked down a three—an area he needs to continue improving—and attacked the rim with aggression. What I liked most was his energy. He played with a “never-give-up” mentality and was active on defense, causing deflections and coming away with a steal.

• Ian Jackson: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3-3 FT
• Drake Powell: 12 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal

Other Duke Prospects

As for Duke’s other key players—Maluach, James, Proctor, and Evans—Maluach stood out the most. He had a dominant performance, but I have concerns about his ability to guard quicker players at the next level. With the NBA being so spaced out, I’m not sure he can keep up with guards on switches. Maybe I need to watch more, but that’s my initial read.

James and Proctor both played strong defense, with Proctor also being a reliable catch-and-shoot option. I see them being used as primary on-ball defenders tasked with slowing down the opposing team’s best player. Evans didn’t play much, but when he did, he stayed in front of his man and picked up a steal. We all know he can shoot.

There’s still a lot of basketball left to be played, so I’ll continue updating my assessments as the season progresses.