Duke basketball legends who became NBA Draft royalty
This collection of stories explores Duke basketball legends who excelled at the college level and established their presence in the NBA Draft. Kyle Filipowski announced his entry into the NBA Draft after leading Duke in scoring and rebounding, and later heard his name called by the Utah Jazz in the second round. Cooper Flagg finished his standout season by declaring for the NBA Draft as a leading candidate for the first overall pick. Cooper Flagg’s accomplishments included leading Duke to an ACC title and a Final Four appearance, becoming national player of the year, and reaching statistical milestones rarely seen for a freshman. The articles also detail Jeremy Roach’s leadership during two coaching eras and Kon Knueppel’s key scoring performances in high-stakes games. Read the stories below.
NO. 1: LASTING LEGACY: DUKE’S JEREMY ROACH SPANS TWO COACHING TENURES, CHASES MORE BANNERS Recruited to play for Coach K, Jeremy Roach started for the Hall of Famer in the 2022 Final Four. Bonded with Jon Scheyer, he led Coach K’s successor’s first Duke team to an ACC championship. What does Roach have in store this March? | Published March 13, 2024
NO. 2: DUKE BASKETBALL STAR KYLE FILIPOWSKI LEAVES BLUE DEVILS, ENTERS 2024 NBA DRAFT The 7-foot forward announced his plans to forgo his final two seasons of eligibility on Friday, the same day Duke freshman guard Jared McCain announced he was leaving school early. | Published April 12, 2024 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman
NO. 3: DUKE’S KYLE FILIPOWSKI IS SELECTED IN THE NBA DRAFT BY UTAH, ONE DAY LATER THAN EXPECTED One of two players left in the green room after the first round Wednesday night, Kyle Filipowski from Duke was finally picked in the second round by Utah. | Published June 27, 2024
NO. 4: VIRAL DUNK, RECORD OUTBURST FINALLY ELEVATE COOPER FLAGG AS COLLEGE HOOPS’ MAIN CHARACTER Cooper Flagg, who arrived amid unusual hype and the hosannas of every NBA draft expert, was almost certainly going to end up as college basketball’s biggest star. It took a while to get here, but here we are. | Published January 15, 2025
NO. 5: DUKE FRESHMAN PHENOM COOPER FLAGG COMPILING RARE STATISTICAL ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE AGES Retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski has high praise for Blue Devils freshman Cooper Flagg’s season to date: “He’s the best player in the country.” | Published January 22, 2025
