The Duke Blue Devils powered their way to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, and while they ultimately fell to the Houston Cougars after a disastrous final stretch, it marked one of the program’s most successful seasons since their national championship run in 2015.
A major factor in that success was the breakout performance of their freshman trio: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach. Knueppel has already declared for the upcoming NBA draft, while fans are still awaiting Flagg’s decision. That said, he’s widely expected to go pro, as the projected No. 1 overall pick.
Despite the freshmen’s impact, Duke also benefitted from experienced leadership, most notably from guard Tyrese Proctor, who delivered a historic shooting stretch during the month of March.
Proctor, who still had eligibility remaining, was thought by some to be considering a potential return. However, he officially announced on Friday that he will declare for the NBA Draft—joining Knueppel and, likely, Flagg and Maluach in taking the next step toward the professional level.
Duke reacted to the news by posting, “League next. Duke forever. Thank you [Tyrese Proctor].”
Proctor entered the Blue Devils program as a highly touted prospect out of high school and quickly became a cornerstone of the team, spending the last three seasons in Durham, North Carolina.
This past season, he averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. From the ACC Championship through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, Proctor delivered a scorching stretch, recording three consecutive games with six or more made three-pointers.
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg and guard Tyrese Proctor
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg and guard Tyrese Proctor. © Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Throughout his three-year career at Duke, he consistently shot well from long range, never dipping below 32% from beyond the arc in any season. That reliable shooting will now become an asset to whichever NBA team selects him in June.
Leave a Reply