Duke vs Baylor NBA prospect preview ahead of must-watch game | 2025 NCAA Second Round
The NCAA Tournament gods have granted us one of the great marquee prospect matchups of the season on Sunday. Duke and Baylor’s matchup in the Round of 32 should be an excellent game as is, but it will be an evaluator’s dream regardless of the outcome.
According to the 2025 NBA Draft Rookie Scale consensus board, this game contains four of the top eight prospects in the draft. Baylor freshman phenom VJ Edgecombe will hope to drive an upset win over top-seeded Duke led by an elite trio of freshmen in Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach.
Those aren’t the only NBA prospects in the game, either. Let’s preview the NBA prospect matchups to watch in Duke and Baylor’s upcoming matchup.
Duke vs Baylor NBA Prospect Preview
1) Cooper Flagg
Duke throttled its first-round opponent, only needing 22 minutes from Flagg on the night. There’s no reason to rush Flagg back from his SEC Tournament injury, especially given how loaded Duke’s roster is. Still, we should expect to see more of his all-around dominance against a strong Baylor opponent.
Flagg’s season of primary creation led him to this point, where he’ll lead Duke’s offense as a lead initiator. We’ll see how well his handle holds up against a better Baylor defense, but they won’t have many players who can check Flagg. We might see him guard VJ Edgecombe at times, granting potential for a dazzling prospect matchup.
2) VJ Edgecombe
Few opponents this season have been able to limit Edgecombe’s explosive driving. With a blazing first step and vertical bounce for days, he can access the paint at will. Duke’s defense will test his shaky finishing at the rim as one of the few teams with the athletes to match Edgecombe.
Edgecombe likely won’t spend the bulk of his time guarding Flagg given their size difference, but his perimeter defense will be critical to slowing down Kon Knueppel and their other weapons. He’ll always provide weak-side paint protection and disruption off of the ball; Baylor will need Edgecombe at his sharpest on defense to slow down the Blue Devils.
3) Khaman Maluach
Maluach only played 16 minutes against Mount St. Mary’s, but he made his presence known against a smaller opponent during that time. He’s picking up his scoring aggression as he settles in, scoring 11 points without missing a shot on Friday. Maluach drilled a rare 3-pointer, which will be critical for reaching his ceiling.
He’ll lead the charge defending VJ Edgecombe at the basket. He’s not the most explosive leaper, so Edgecombe could give him trouble with his leaping. We’ll see how much Duke chooses to switch him onto the perimeter, electing to weaponize his excellent mobility for a seven-footer.
4) Kon Knueppel
Throughout the season, Knueppel has been a key secondary option for Duke offensively. He’s one of the best shooters in the draft and Baylor will need to attach to him off of the ball to avoid him raining threes. If Baylor sends extra pressure at Cooper Flagg, we could see more Knueppel pick-and-roll usage than usual.
He’ll likely have to guard some of Baylor’s suite of quick guards and wings on the perimeter, which could cause him some trouble. He relies on positioning on the defensive end and benefits greatly from Maluach and Flagg’s help, but his size allows him to contest shots and defend in the paint. A hot shooting game from Knueppel could swing the tides strongly in Duke’s favor.
5) Isaiah Evans
We’ve seen Isaiah Evans emerge throughout the season, earning a role next to Duke’s other five-star freshman phenom. He’s a shooting specialist, knocking down 42.4% of his 3s this season. Evans missed all five of his triples on Friday, but we should expect him to bounce back from deep.
If Baylor sends extra bodies and pressure at Flagg and Knueppel, we could see Evans benefit with easy shots off of the ball. His offensive firepower makes him a constant X-factor and his energy helps him on both ends of the floor even when his shots aren’t falling.
6) Patrick Ngongba
Ngongba missed most of the season recovering from a left foot injury, but he’s quickly established himself as a valuable rotation piece. The freshman big is highly skilled on both ends, tallying nine points, two assists and three blocks in his 19 minutes against Mount St. Mary’s.
His scoring, complementary playmaking and handling skills offer a useful change of pace from Maluach’s vertical spacing. Against Norchad Omier, Ngongba’s sturdier frame could help Duke defend the post more than the slender Maluach can.
A litany of defensive talent could make it wise to bet the under (143.5) in this matchup. Both teams have plenty of offensive firepower, but Duke especially dominates on the defensive end.
Flagg, Maluach and Ngongba along with their other role players make life tough for anyone on defense, and Edgecombe will contribute on that end for Baylor. It wouldn’t be surprising to see plenty of missed shots, tough attempts and highlight defensive plays in this matchup.