3 players to watch as Duke, Kansas basketball clash in Las Vegas

Two of the top basketball programs in the country will meet in Las Vegas when Duke and Kansas square off at 6 p.m. Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena.

Kansas (5-0), ranked No. 1 in the nation, brings four national titles to the table.

No. 11 Duke (4-1) has five.

The Blue Devils’ lone loss this season came in a tight game against Kentucky at the Champions Classic in Atlanta. Duke then went on the road and beat Arizona on Friday on its way to Las Vegas.

Kansas secured a win over Michigan State at the Champions Classic, and previously beat North Carolina at home.

Both teams now get another chance at an early signature win in a rematch of the 1991 championship game won by Duke.

It’s no surprise that both squads are loaded with talent given they’re two of college basketball’s blue bloods. Here are three players to watch Tuesday night:

1. Cooper Flagg, Duke

The freshman sensation is the real deal. And the 17-year-old showed why in Las Vegas in July.

Flagg, despite being the youngest player in the gym, went off in a scrimmage against Team USA during the Americans’ Olympic training camp at UNLV.

The nation’s top recruit and the likely first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft leads Duke in just about every statistical category. Flagg is averaging 17.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game as a freshman.

He can do a little bit of everything on the floor. Flagg can guard any position on defense and has enough size and athleticism to be a rim protector. His vision is elite on offense and he’s showing he can score at will against college defenders.

2. Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

Dickinson, after a high-profile transfer from Michigan that was an early example of a student-athlete leveraging his value in the name, image and likeness market, made a major impact for the Jayhawks last season.

The lefty 7-footer averaged 17.9 points and 10.9 points per game and shot 55 percent from the field.

It’s no surprise that Dickinson is a standout on offense. He has an array of post moves and has a soft touch around the rim.

Dickinson is a throwback type of college big man that has stayed in school instead of seeing if his game can translate to the next level. He’s already scored more than 2,200 career points, in part because he got a fifth season of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. Dajuan Harris Jr., Kansas

Harris is a huge part of everything the Jayhawks want to do on the floor.

The point guard is a three-time member of the All-Big 12 defensive team and was named the conference’s defensive player of the year in 2023.

Harris also has the ball in his hands on almost every Kansas possession and is responsible for putting the team’s key scoring threats in the right positions.

He is averaging 5.2 assists per game this year and shot better than 38 percent from 3-point range the past two seasons.

He’s struggling to find his shooting touch early this year, but the Jayhawks will become much more dangerous when he does.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.