One of the most interesting teams in college basketball this season has clearly been Duke, thanks in large part to its highly touted freshman class. While No. 1-ranked prospect Cooper Flagg is clearly the biggest name to know, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach have quickly become key contributors, rounding out the Blue Devils’ “Big Three” of first-year stars. It’s typically difficult for freshmen on a loaded roster to produce every night, but the upside for these players has been hard to deny.

Let’s take a closer look at what we’ve seen from the Blue Devils freshmen in their strong start to the season.

Cooper Flagg showed why many consider him one of the best two-way prospects we’ve seen in some time. In the season opener against Maine, Flagg tied for a team-high seven rebounds and three steals. He also led the Blue Devils with five assists while scoring the second-most points with 18. He was all over the court, on both ends, and didn’t slow down until his second game of the season against Army . Flagg recorded his first collegiate double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds while adding three assists, two steals and three blocks.

With these first two games, Flagg is averaging 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. He looks like a threat to fill up the stat sheet every night. At this point, he appears to be a lock to be a top-three pick in the upcoming draft. His three-point shooting is still a work in progress, but his defensive versatility and elite athleticism suggest he will have time to improve in that area.

Kon Knueppel looked to be Duke’s most reliable scoring option during this early stretch. He quickly made a name for himself in the season opener, where he scored 22 points, grabbed four rebounds, dished out two assists and recorded a steal. His offensive instincts – on and off the ball – seem legit, as he rarely forces plays and consistently creates the best looks possible. That continued in Duke’s second win over Army, where he again led the Blue Devils with 15 points, along with two rebounds, two assists and a steal. He has looked extremely confident and his ability to score efficiently appears to be a steady asset as the season progresses.

His ability to process the game offensively holds tremendous promise for how he could translate to the NBA. As Duke’s level of competition increases, Knueppel’s scoring ability and efficiency will be interesting to watch, but he appears to have the potential to be the Blue Devils’ leading scorer throughout the year .

Khaman Maluach entered the season as probably the rawest in Duke’s freshman class, and although he got off to a bit of a slow start, his development has been encouraging. He finished his first game against Maine with six points, six rebounds and an assist, which wasn’t ideal, but he also added an impressive three blocks, showing his potential to make an impact every night. If his stats were a little disappointing, the inner flashes were undeniable. Despite this slow start, things quickly changed in his second game against Army, where he had his first double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. He looked much more comfortable competing inside, regularly battling for positioning to increase his chances of getting rebounds.

Maluach has the frame and athleticism to compete with most post players at this level, although his offensive potential is still a work in progress. Whether or not his jump shot improves during his freshman season, Maluach’s defensive impact should continue to grow and become one of the standout aspects of Duke’s season.

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