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Cooper Flagg Sends Clear Message to Khaman Maluach Before NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Escarpio | Last updated May 15, 2025 6:50 PM ET

Cooper Flagg recently led the Duke Blue Devils on a historic run during his freshman season with the program.

Flagg and the Blue Devils, under the guidance of head coach Jon Scheyer, helped Duke post a 35-4 record, the program's sixth time reaching that win total in school history.

The Blue Devils were led by arguably the best freshman core the program has ever seen, courting three projected lottery picks: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach.

As the three prepare for the NBA Draft, Duke posted several photos of their freshman season, highlighting an incredible year for the program.

Flagg reposted the photos on his Instagram story, sending a message to Maluach as he reacted to a picture of the two.

"My brudda," Flagg said.

During his freshman season with Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils, Cooper Flagg posted 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

He also averaged 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game, leading Duke in all five statistical categories.

Flagg was named the Naismith Player of the Year and earned the Wooden Award, beating out several talented players such as Johni Broome and Mark Sears.

As he heads into the NBA Draft, Flagg is projected to be selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 overall pick.

Khaman Maluach, who also committed to Duke as a five-star prospect, had a phenomenal freshman season with the program.

During Maluach's freshman campaign, the former blue-chip recruit averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 0.5 assists per game.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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