In the most recent ESPN 2025 NBA mock draft, three Duke Blue Devils were selected in the top ten.

Duke basketball has six of its players featured in ESPN’s new edition of their 2025 NBA mock draft made by Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo. With the #1 ranked recruiting class coming into Durham this past offseason along with talented vets on the team that have been climbing up draft boards, Jon Scheyer has again proven his elite ability to develop guys at the next level.

The draft is headlined by freshman phenom Cooper Flagg along with the Blue Devils’ other five-star recruits that came in with this 2025 class. Duke’s experienced guards are also getting noticed more as the season is progressing and climbing up boards.

Let’s take a look at where each Blue Devil is slotted in ESPN’s latest mock draft.

#1 overall – Cooper Flagg – Washington Wizards

Flagg has been one of the most dominant players in college basketball all season and is currently the frontrunner to win the National Player of the Year award. Already being deemed as a shoe-in to be the top selection in this summer’s draft before the season even started, Flagg has only exceeded expectations during his time at Duke. Leading the Blue Devils in all five major statistical categories averaging 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game on 48.6% shooting from the field and 37.3% shooting from three-point range, Flagg is darting ahead of the rest of the competition for the top spot. Rutgers star freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are also in the conversation for the top pick, but Flagg seems to be the clear frontrunner as of now.

#6 overall – Kon Knueppel – Brooklyn Nets

Knueppel has been one of the biggest draft risers among freshmen this season as he began turning heads in preseason camp. The six-foot-seven wing is averaging 13.2 points on 38.3% shooting from the perimeter for the Blue Devils and has proven to be one of the best shooters in this year’s class. Knueppel is also a big time driver to the basket and uses his body extremely well when getting through contact. His defensive prowess is already at a pro level, and it seems likely Knueppel will be taken in the top ten. “He’s an underrated passer, ranked as the third-best pick-and-roll player in this draft by Synergy Sports,” Woo said in his scouting report of Knueppel.

#7 overall – Khaman Maluach – Chicago Bulls

Maluach has developed into one of the best all-around big men in the entire country. He came into Duke extremely raw but oozing with pro potential with his insane athleticism at seven-foot-two and 250 pounds. The big man out of South Sudan can guard the one through five positions on the court and there are few centers in the country that can get back in transition the way Maluach can. He’s improved offensively and his defensive instincts continue to improve as the season progresses, as the big has scored in double digits in three of Duke’s last four games and has at least one block in 12 of the Blue Devils’ last 14 games.

#40 overall – Tyrese Proctor – Philadelphia 76ers

After coming back to Duke for his sophomore campaign in 2023-24, many projected Proctor to take a massive leap into lottery consideration for the 2024 NBA Draft. However, it was a bit of a disappointing sophomore slump for Proctor, and he elected to return to Duke for year three, which has ended up being his best offensive season yet for Scheyer. Proctor has developed into arguably one of the best guards in the nation, racking up career-highs in points per game (12.0), field goal percentage (43.8), and three-point percentage (40.9) this season. Proctor is sixth in the ACC in three-point field goals per game at 2.3. The junior has taken on a big role this season as the leader for this talented yet very young group and has excelled at it. In February, Proctor is averaging 16.6 points per game on 51.9% shooting from the field and 46.5% shooting from the perimeter.

#46 overall – Sion James – Washington Wizards (via Detroit Pistons)

James has been one of the most impactful transfer guards in the nation after coming to Durham after spending four seasons at Tulane. The six-foot-six, 220-pound guard is built like a running back and has displayed elite defensive capabilities on the perimeter and middle-third of the floor. He doesn’t look for his own offense too often, but is an elite facilitator and sets his teammates up for open shots better than most. The senior has tallied 41 assists to seven turnovers over Duke’s last ten games while shooting 56.6% from the field and 44.4% from three over that same span.

#50 overall – Isaiah Evans – Cleveland Cavaliers

Evans wasn’t seen on draft boards early on in the season despite being a former five-star recruit due to the freshman not seeing too many minutes early. But since he’s become a regular part of the rotation after the new year’s beginning, Evans has proven to be one of the best three-point shooters in the entire country. Evans is shooting 45.5% from beyond the arc this season on 4.0 attempts per game. Almost 83% of the total shots he’s taken this season have been threes. His defense needs to catch up to his offense slightly, but his lanky build at six-foot-six and 175 pounds makes him an intriguing NBA prospect. It will be interesting to monitor the freshman after the season ends to see if he decides to take the jump to the NBA if he remains projected as a second-rounder, or come back to Duke for his sophomore campaign in an elevated role to jump into the lottery conversation.

Three Duke basketball players were featured in the top ten of this mock draft along with James and Evans jumping onto the scene. It will be interesting to monitor some of these prospects at the season’s end to see if any will decide to return to Duke.