The Duke Blue Devils made an impressive run to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, although they were ultimately defeated by the Houston Cougars after a tough final stretch.
Still, it was one of the program’s most successful seasons since their national championship in 2015. A key factor in their success was the standout performances from freshmen Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach.
While Knueppel has already declared for the upcoming NBA draft, Flagg is widely expected to follow suit as the projected No. 1 overall pick. Despite the freshmen’s impact, Duke also benefitted from the leadership of guard Tyrese Proctor, who had an incredible shooting stretch in March.
Though Proctor still had eligibility left, there was speculation he might return. However, he officially announced on Friday that he will declare for the NBA Draft, joining Knueppel and likely Flagg and Maluach in pursuing professional careers. In response, Duke posted, “League next. Duke forever. Thank you [Tyrese Proctor].”
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