A familiar face was on the sidelines of Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium prior to Duke football 's season opening game vs. Elon on Thursday, Aug. 28.

Cooper Flagg , the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft and former Duke basketball star, was on scene to support the Blue Devils football team ahead of its matchup with the Phoenix.

Flagg was taken No. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game during his lone season in Durham (2024-25), leading Duke to a 35-4 overall record, claiming both the ACC regular season and tournament titles along with a trip to the Final Four.

Duke football opens its second season under Manny Diaz against the Phoenix, looking for its third-straight season opening victory. The Blue Dev

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