Duke Freshman will face his first big test of the season at Kentucky

Tonight at 8:00 PM CT the Duke Blue Devils have their first real test of the season against the Kentucky Wildcats.

At the start of the game, the Blue Devils are the current favorites to win. It's clear that Duke is the more talented team on paper as they have three guys who are projected to be top-ten picks while Kentucky currently has slim second-round prospects, but that has in college basketball means nothing.

Cooper Flagg will be the main headline tonight as he is the consensus number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He'll likely have special performances tonight, especially on defense, but scouts are eager to see what his shooting ability and scoring versatility will be. He's made significant progress as an offensive player each year, but does he have enough scoring ability to carry the load on offense?

Tonight should be very enlightening. Kon Knueppel is another rookie who has really shocked some scouts with his productivity. Reliable sources tell me that the NBA staff absolutely loves Knueppel. The Duke wing has proven to be an elite 3-point shooter while also possessing tremendous shooting range and scoring ability.

More than just a shooter, he has good passing skills, is a willing and capable defender, and is a very enticing offensive player. He should be able to easily transition to the NBA as he is an ideal connector in today's NBA. We should keep a close eye on his shooting ability against a well-rounded Kentucky team with three great defensive players in Lamont Butler, Otega Oweh and Amari Williams.

The third freshman for Duke who represents a potential top-ten pick is Khaman Maluach from South Sudan. The 7-foot-2 center has unreal physical and athletic ability. Maluach is brimming with potential as there aren't many prospects in this year's draft who come close to his size, tools, motor and skill set. He hasn't really shown much on offense so far as Jon Scheyer has assigned him a dirty work role.

The high-altitude center did a great job of rebounding, playing with energy and converting shots at the rim. However, he is still very young. So will he be able to avoid foul trouble against elite and veteran college teams? This is a big question that Scouts will be asking themselves. His feel for the game is somewhat underrated, but when you watch him play, his potential becomes obvious.

He's not quite as polished as Flagg or Knueppel, but he still makes his presence felt over the course of a game. Tonight will be a fun scouting game for these Duke prospects, and after tonight's Champions Classic it should be clear what these prospects are good at and what they need to work on.

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