Cooper Flagg thrills CBB fans in Duke debut as Kon Knueppel and Blue Devils beat Maine | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

Cooper Flagg and the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team started the 2024-25 season with a win.

Duke defeated the Maine Black Bears 96-62 in Monday's season-opening showdown at Cameron Indoor Stadium. All eyes were on the freshman, who opened his highly anticipated season with 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals while helping lead his team to a resounding victory.

He wasn't the only one playing well, as Kon Knueppel was the leading scorer with 22 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal.

But it was Flagg who drew the most reaction on social media, especially after he threw down quite the dunk:

The game was a blast, as expected, but it was still the first chance for college basketball and NBA fans to see Flagg in action. The No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2024, per 247Sport' Composite rankings, is one of the most hyped rookies in years and will see a deadline every time he steps on the court.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Flagg as the No. 1 overall pick in his latest mock draft, noting that the 17-year-old was “viewed as one of the biggest prizes of the decade.”

His presence is a big reason expectations are once again so high for the powerhouse Blue Devils after they reached the Elite Eight last season, and Monday's game was an opportunity to set the tone against an overmatched opponent.

But it was Knueppel who did just that, scoring 15 points in the first half alone, four of which came on a four-point play when he was fouled outside the arc. Because Maine focused a lot of attention on Flagg on defense, he was able to take advantage of open attacks and solidify the offense for long stretches.

Flagg certainly had his moments in the first half, including when he unleashed the monster tomahawk jam to get the crowd pumped up. He followed with an assist on a three-pointer from Sion James and a reverse layup to extend the lead to 11 by halftime.

The game was never in doubt and Duke wasted no time pulling away in the second half with Flagg doing a little bit of everything. Even though he wasn't the team's leading scorer, he was active as a facilitator, fought around the boards and played lockdown defense as the best two-way player on the field.

It's a formula that should lead to plenty of wins in what will likely be his only college season, especially if Knueppel proves to be the scoring threat he was on Monday. Maine had no answers for the two rookies and it's easy to imagine them leading the Blue Devils to great success.

They will look to continue the early momentum on Friday when they take on Army.