Latest news with #BlueDevil
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Duke basketball brings back alum after HBCU stint
Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer is bringing a familiar face back to Durham: former Blue Devil Tyler Thornton will join the coaching staff as an assistant. Thornton, who played at Duke from 2010 to 2014, returns after a successful coaching stint at Howard University, an HBCU where he served under fellow Duke alum Kenneth Blakeney. Thornton joined Howard's men's basketball program in 2019 and played a pivotal role in the Bison's resurgence. During his tenure, Howard achieved back-to-back MEAC tournament championships in 2023 and 2024, marking their first NCAA tournament appearances since 1992 . In the 2022–23 season, the Bison finished with a 22–13 overall record and an 11–3 mark in conference play, clinching the MEAC regular-season title . They secured the tournament championship with a gritty 65–64 victory over Norfolk State. Thornton's impact at Howard extended beyond team achievements. In his first season, he coached Charles Williams, the MEAC's all-time leading scorer, to All-MEAC honors. He also guided Wayne Bristol Jr. to the 2019–20 MEAC Rookie of the Year award. In the 2020–21 season, Thornton was instrumental in the recruitment and development of Makur Maker, who became the first five-star recruit to commit to an HBCU since ESPN began ranking prospects in 2007. Thornton's return to Duke basketball brings valuable experience from his time at an HBCU, where he contributed to significant program milestones. His coaching journey, marked by player development and championship success, positions him as a promising addition to Scheyer's staff. As Duke basketball continues to evolve under Scheyer's leadership, the inclusion of coaches like Thornton, who have demonstrated success at HBCUs, underscores the program's commitment to excellence. The post Duke basketball brings back alum after HBCU stint appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Duke Raises Eyebrows With Latest Cooper Flagg Post in Mavericks Jersey
It's time to raise the Flagg in Dallas. Duke made its feelings known on Wednesday after the Dallas Mavericks landed the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery and the right to select Cooper Flagg—posting a not-so-subtle graphic on social media with a simple caption. Advertisement "Coop ready for that @dallasmavs uni." The image? Flagg standing confidently between former Duke greats Kyrie Irving and Derrick Lively II—both now Mavericks. Duke sees the NBA's newest lottery prize as next in line. Flagg is a Blue Devil through and through, and the graphic reinforced just how deep those Duke-to-Dallas ties could now potentially run. The Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance to land the top pick but defied the odds. With Luka Doncic now in Los Angeles after the blockbuster trade that brought Anthony Davis to Dallas, the team is entering a new era. And Cooper Flagg is expected to be the face of it. Advertisement Duke's nod to Flagg seemed to be a symbolic passing of the torch. Kyrie Irving is one of the most iconic Blue Devils to ever play in the league. Lively is coming off a breakout season as a key rim protector. And now Flagg, the presumed No. 1 pick, joins that mix. Fans, of course, had a lot to say. "Nico is trading the pick," one fan said. "The Dallas Blue Devils," another said. "You guys forgot to add Dwight Powell to the picture," one fan quipped. "Brotherhood taking over Dallas soon," said another Duke fan. "In the #32 is perfect," another fan said. Flagg spent just one year in Durham, but it was enough to cement his place in Blue Devil lore. Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg. Zachary Taft-Imagn Images He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game while leading Duke to a Final Four appearance. Advertisement Now, the next chapter begins in Dallas—and Duke is already writing the headline. Related: Duke Suffers Major Recruiting Blow in Elite International Battle
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cooper Flagg impresses at NBA Draft Combine after Dallas Mavericks secure the No. 1 pick in draft lottery
Cooper Flagg showed impressive flashes at the NBA Draft Combine on Tuesday, as the former Blue Devil is poised to become the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft. After a short break following the NCAA tournament, Flagg joined his fellow aspiring rookies for the first step into their NBA careers. During the session, Flagg recorded 10.83 seconds in the pro lane drill, a 29-inch standing vertical leap, and a 35.5-inch maximum vert. "I thought it was really good," Flagg said of the session in Chicago. "A lot of testing. Guys go out there, working hard, showing what they can do, so I thought it was a really good day." 'Versatility, speed, athleticism, vertical'Cooper Flagg on what he got to show off today at the #NBADraftCombine 🔥 — NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) May 13, 2025 When asked what he showed in the drills, Flagg said, "I think just the versatility, the speed, the athleticism and the vertical altogether. And then just the ability to keep working on my shot." Flagg's performance at the combine came the morning after the Dallas Mavericks secured the first pick in the NBA Draft. According to ESPN, the Mavs plan to keep the pick and draft Flagg, rather than trade it. His entry would team him up alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, who could return from his ACL injury in January 2026. After trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, Dallas suffered several injuries, including to Davis in his first game for the Mavericks and Irving later in the season. The team finished 10th in the Western Conference with a 39-43 record before losing to Memphis in the Play-In Tournament. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his lone season at Duke, which lost to Houston in the Final Four.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cooper Flagg impresses at NBA Draft Combine after Dallas Mavericks secure the No. 1 pick in draft lottery
Cooper Flagg showed impressive flashes at the NBA Draft Combine on Tuesday, as the former Blue Devil is poised to become the No. 1 overall pick in June's draft. After a short break following the NCAA tournament, Flagg joined his fellow aspiring rookies in the first step into their NBA careers. During the session, Flagg recorded 10.83 seconds in the Pro Lane Drill, a 29-foot standing vertical leap, and a 35.5-foot maximum vert. "I thought it was really good," Flagg said of the session in Chicago. "A lot of testing. Guys go out there, working hard, showing what they can do, so I thought it was a really good day." 'Versatility, speed, athleticism, vertical'Cooper Flagg on what he got to show off today at the #NBADraftCombine 🔥 — NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) May 13, 2025 When asked what he showed in the drills, Flagg said, "I think just the versatility, the speed, the athleticism and the vertical altogether. And then just the ability to keep working on my shot." Flagg's performance at the combine came the morning after the Dallas Mavericks secured the first pick in the NBA Draft. According to ESPN, the Mavs plan to keep the pick and draft Flagg, rather than trade it. His entry would team him up alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, who could return from his ACL injury in January 2026. After trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, Dallas fell to several injuries, including to Davis in his first game for the Mavericks and Irving later in the season. The team finished 10th in the Western Conference with a 39-43 record before losing to Memphis in the Play-In Tournament. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his lone season at Duke. The Devils' NCAA tournament ended in the Final Four, where they lost to Houston.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Duke basketball's Kon Knueppel makes 2025 NBA Draft decision
Duke basketball's Kon Knueppel will enter the 2025 NBA Draft, he announced Wednesday in a social media post. "Forever a Blue Devil. Taking the Brotherhood with me to the next chapter. #NBADraft," Knueppel wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). Advertisement Knueppel, an All-ACC wing and the ACC Tournament MVP as the Blue Devils' No. 2 option behind fellow freshman Cooper Flagg, is expected to be a top-10 pick on June 25 during the first round of the draft in Brooklyn. Duke has seen 30 of its former players become lottery picks. Overall, 56 Blue Devils have been selected in the first round of the draft. Knueppel will likely add his name to that list after averaging 14.4 points, 4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in a one-and-done season in Durham. LARRY BIRD AND LOOSE BALLS: Why Kon Knueppel has knack for racking up floor burns with Duke basketball in March Madness DUKE 2025-26 ROSTER OUTLOOK: What will Duke basketball's roster look like in 2025-26 season, should it lose Cooper Flagg? Advertisement OLD SCHOOL: How Duke basketball's Kon Knueppel learned 'stuff that's not taught so much anymore' Shortly after Knueppel's announcement, Duke released a video featuring head coach Jon Scheyer. "Loved having Kon in our program. So proud of him and what he did this season. He's guy that really is about competition. He never shied away from the competitive plays that have to be made in order to win at a high level. As a freshman, Kon understood that ," Scheyer said. "He played both sides of the ball, he had big scoring games and shooting games for us. He guarded. The separator is the fact, anytime there's a loose ball, Kon Knueppel's putting his body on the line to come up with it. The amount of plays he got, just in traffic, was a special thing. ... Can't wait to see what he's going to do at the next level, with a long, successful NBA career. Advertisement Here's a look at Knueppel's stats and possible landing spots in the 2025 NBA Draft. Kon Knueppel stats The Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native became an instant contributor as a 6-foot-7, 217-pound freshman at Duke. Knueppel shot 40.6% from 3-point range, 90% at the free-throw line and nearly 48% overall as a shooter. He produced 21 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds in Duke's Elite Eight victory against Alabama in the NCAA Tournament. Knueppel also shined in Duke's opening game of the ACC Tournament against Georgia Tech. After Flagg went down with an ankle injury, Knueppel scored a season-high 28 points, along with 8 assists and 5 rebounds. He had seven games with 20 or more points, but Knueppel was as consistent a two-way player as Duke had last season. Kon Knueppel NBA Draft profile, projections Knueppel has the size, skill, motor and basketball IQ to be an instant contributor in the league. With an elite feel for the game and his ability to make shots and facilitate, Knueppel's NBA Draft profile compares to that of Gordon Hayward, Wally Sczerbiak, Bojan Bogdanović and Chris Mullin, according to evaluators. Knueppel will likely hear his name called within the top 10, with most projections placing him in the 6-10 range, with possible landing spots in Toronto, San Antonio, Houston or Portland. He'll have to continue to develop as a defender, but all signs point toward a lengthy pro career for Knueppel. Advertisement Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@ This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke basketball's Kon Knueppel makes 2025 NBA Draft decision
