The Duke basketball program is currently preparing for the upcoming 2025 college basketball season, which is slated to begin in around two months. Duke is entering a bit of a transitional year after several key players, including multiple first round picks, departed for the NBA Draft this past offseason.
One of those first round picks was Cooper Flagg, who was drafted number one overall by the Dallas Mavericks this summer.
Recently, Flagg and fellow former Duke player and number one overall draft pick Paolo Banchero, now a star with the Orlando Magic, were spotted at the Blue Devils practice scrimmaging with some of the current members of the team.
(Via @DukeTWTClips on X, formerly Twitter).
Cooper Flagg and Paolo Banchero scrimmaging with the current Duke roster with Jayson Tatum watching 👀🙌
(via @DukeTWTClips)pic.twitter.com/PvipypttNP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 9, 2025
Also in attendance was Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who was watching from the sidelines as he recovers from the torn ACL injury he suffered during last year's NBA playoffs vs the New York Knicks.
Overall, playing against elite NBA competition is sure to help the current members of the Duke basketball team as they prepare to embark on another season.
Duke fans are getting restless for a national championship as they once again came up short in the 2024-25 season, this time falling in the Final Four against the Houston Cougars.
Duke was actually leading that game for the majority of the way but completely fell apart down the stretch, which, combined with some hot shooting from Houston, ultimately lost them the game.
Flagg had a chance to hit an iconic shot late in the game that would have given the Blue Devils the lead, but unfortunately for Duke fans, he ended up missing it and taking his talents to the NBA not long after.
In any case, Duke basketball is slated to kick off its 2025 campaign against the Texas Longhorns on November 4 in what should be a fun matchup.
