Tyrese Proctor became the seventh Duke Blue Devils player to hit 1,000 career points in the team’s win over Miami. And you must be thinking he’s out celebrating, right? Well… not quite. In what should have been a night of pure joy, Proctor found himself limping into the tunnel after a scary fall late in the first half. And just like that, after Maliq Brown, Duke is dealing with yet another health concern in what has otherwise been a stellar season.

The Blue Devils cruised to a 97-60 victory, but the game took a turn for the worse just before halftime. Proctor, contesting a shot on a fast break, came down awkwardly on his left leg, which appeared to buckle as he planted his foot. Immediately grabbing his knee in pain, the junior guard hobbled off the court and into the tunnel with 36.3 seconds remaining in the half.

Unfortunately, he did not return, finishing with seven points in 14 minutes. Freshman Isaiah Evans started in his place for the second half.

After the game, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer provided an update but didn’t have many answers yet. “I know he didn’t want to get it in this fashion,” the HC said. “We have to get him back, get X-rays, MRI. He got hit in the leg. That’s the extent of what I know. We’ll get him looked at and taken care of.”

“Tyrese is tough,” Scheyer added. “We have to find out what’s going on first before we can know.” Proctor has been one of the team’s most valuable players this season, averaging 12 points per game—third on the team behind Cooper Flagg (19.4) and Kon Knueppel (13.5). He also leads Duke with 64 three-pointers. 

For the time being, the Blue Devils, now 25-3 overall and 16-1 in conference play, are on a roll. The freshman phenom did his thing with 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting. But guess what? It wasn’t Flagg who stole the show—it was Kon Knueppel.

Knueppel was on fire, dropping 20 points with five rebounds, three steals, and two assists while hitting 4-of-5 from three. He came in as a projected one to embarrass Miami from the three-point line, and the Hurricanes got a firsthand look at why. He was a Swiss Army knife on the court. Defending, driving, facilitating, and, obviously, cashing in from deep. The performance had social media buzzing, with fans already hyping up his future in the NBA.

Speaking of the NBA, it’s impossible to ignore the buzz surrounding the potential number one draft pick – and with the odds shifting, the speculation is reaching a fever pitch!

Where could Cooper Flagg land in the NBA?

The Duke freshman is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and many believe he’s a generational talent we haven’t seen in years. Leading Duke in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks—something no ACC player has done in 25 years—the guard is making a strong case for himself.

As the season winds down, the race for the top pick is heating up. The NBA’s worst teams are in a battle—not for wins, but for the best lottery odds. As of now, the Wizards and Hornets are leading the pack, and it’s easy to see why.

Washington started the season at 2-2 but has since spiraled to a 10-47. With the league’s worst defense, allowing the most points per game, they’re losing by an average margin of 13. Charlotte isn’t far behind at 14-42, holding the second-worst record in the East.

But, as we know, the NBA Draft Lottery is unpredictable. The three worst teams each have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 pick, while the fourth- and fifth-worst teams have 12.5% and 10.5% odds, respectively. But history hasn’t been kind to the team with the worst record.

Last year, the Pistons had the worst record and ended up picking fifth, while the Hawks—who barely made the play-in tournament—jumped to No. 1 despite only having a 3% chance. Fans are also throwing the Blazers into the mix. So while Washington and Charlotte are in prime position, there’s no guarantee Flagg will be landing there.

But before the pro call comes, this squad has unfinished business. With Brown expected to return next month (postseason), the Cooper & Co. are one step closer to a conference title. Now, they just need to stay healthy and finish the job.