On Friday, NBA prospect Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils took on the Arizona Wildcats in a much-anticipated matchup, earning a 69-55 victory. Flagg led the way with 24 points, six rebounds and three assists while numerous NBA stars, past and present, were in attendance.
Some players were Arizona alumni, while others were Duke alumni.
Five NBA stars who watched Duke and Cooper Flagg compete against Arizona
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#1: Gilbert Arenas
An Arizona alumnus who was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team in 2000 and the first-team All-Pac-10 in 2001, Gilbert Arenas, was seen sitting courtside for Friday’s game.
During his time at Arizona, Arenas helped the team go to the national championships, where they lost to Duke, adding some history to his attendance at Friday’s game.
#2: Mike Bibby
A talented guard who played for Arizona during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons, Bibby was seen in attendance alongside Gilbert Arenas on Friday. During his time at Arizona, Bibby was a Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, first-team All-Pac 10 player and Pac-10 Player of the Year.
In addition, he also won an NCAA title with the school in 1997. The school retired No. 10 in his honor after he transitioned to the NBA.
#3: Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal might not have played for Duke or Arizona. However, considering the game took place in Arizona, the Suns guard attended. After trading away a slew of picks to land Beal and Kevin Durant, the Suns aren’t in contention to land the top pick of the 2025 NBA draft.
Although Beal and Flagg likely won’t be future teammates, he was seen sitting courtside, taking in all the action during Friday’s game.
#4: Tyus Jones
Alongside his Phoenix Suns teammate Bradley Beal, Duke alumnus Tyus Jones was seen in attendance at Friday’s game to watch Cooper Flagg. While at Duke, Jones was a third-team All-ACC player, an AP honorable mention All-American and an NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
On top of that, he also helped lead Duke to their 2015 NCAA championship win alongside Quinn Cook, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow, to name just a few.
#5: Grayson Allen
A member of Duke’s 2015 NCAA championship team alongside Tyus Jones, Grayson Allen was seen in attendance at Friday’s game with his two Suns’ teammates.
During his time at Duke, Allen was a first-team All-ACC player in 2016 and a second-team All-American. In his final year, he was named a third-team All-ACC player, landing himself as the 21st pick in the 2018 NBA draft.
Edited by Ribin Peter
