Every year, the best players from across the nation gather to celebrate their high school careers at the McDonald’s All-American Game. This year, the Blue Devils had three players represented, so let’s take a look at how each player performed in Houston this week:
Cooper Flagg, East
Flagg was the crown jewel of this year’s recruiting class, as the current Montverde Academy star was the consensus No. 1 recruit in 2024 after reclassing and committing to Duke. The forward has made a name for himself as a jack of all trades, possessing a very versatile offensive game while also being one of the best shot-blockers in the nation.
Although the shooting was not as polished as he may have hoped, Flagg’s skillset was still on full display during Tuesday night’s game, as he dropped eight points that included a nice off-the-dribble three to go along with six rebounds and three assists. On the defensive end, the Maine product also added a steal and a block.
Check out the triple and the block here:
Isaiah Evans, East
Evans was the other future Blue Devil to suit up in the men’s half of the event, as he joined Flagg on the East team. The North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year profiles as a microwave scorer for the Blue Devil, but Evans did not fill up the stat sheet in Houston, as he failed to tally any points in the game. However, the recent state champion did make his mark felt elsewhere, coming up with four rebounds.
However, the play from Evans’ showing that should excite Duke fans was his steal and outlet pass to Flagg, which gave a glimpse into what the Cameron Crazies can expect to see this upcoming season. Check out that play here:
Arianna Roberson, West
The sole representative for the Blue Devils on the women’s side was center Arianna Roberson, as the No. 19 recruit in the nation according to ESPN suited up for the West team Tuesday evening. The San Antonio native has made a name for herself as an excellent rim protector and overall defender, as she possesses an impressive 6-foot-4 frame that makes her a force down low. Notably, her brother is former NBA defensive stopper Andre Roberson.
Roberson will likely see major minutes at center early on due to the departures of Kennedy Brown and Camilla Emsbo, and she demonstrated her potential with a nice block during the game, which you can check out here:
Going forward, keep an eye out for Flagg and Evans along with other recruits on the men’s side as the all-star circuit continues and high school national championships ramp up this week, with Flagg and Duke commit Darren Harris both participating. On the women’s end, Roberson will likely compete in other all-star events, and the Blue Devils will continue to monitor No. 1 recruit Sarah Strong, who included Duke in her final three schools and dominated Tuesday evening, putting up 11 points and 12 rebounds.
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