Duke men's basketball 2024-25 player review: Maliq Brown - The Chronicle
As the Blue Devils’ season comes to an end, the Blue Zone takes a final look at every player’s performance this year. We’ve already analyzed Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor, Sion James, Caleb Foster, Kon Knueppel and Mason Gillis. Next up is junior forward Maliq Brown:
Junior
6-foot-9
Forward
15.7 MPG, 2.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.5 APG
After Duke had a clear deficiency in the frontcourt last season, head coach Jon Scheyer and staff made a concerted effort to beef up the roster down low — especially when it came to rim protection.
They accomplished that goal by bringing in Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown, who ended the season as one of the most versatile defenders in the ACC and a linchpin on the Blue Devils’ elite defense.
That impact from the big man that Scheyer and company were searching for was evident by the second game of the campaign, as Brown accumulated seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal against Army. The Culpeper, Va., native’s propensity to create turnovers was a common theme throughout Duke’s season — you could count on Brown for at least a handful of deflections per game.
The defensive impact the forward made on the game this year is tough to quantify, mostly because deflections are not tracked in box-score statistics. Brown’s ability to seal off passing lanes, get underneath larger bigs for steals and step out to the perimeter allowed Duke’s defense to not lose a step — and at times gain one — when he spelled Khaman Maluach off the bench.
The offensive numbers for the forward were never eye-popping as Cooper Flagg and Maluach handled those duties down low, but Brown certainly shined as a connector. In November’s matchup against Kansas, he racked up eight points in just 17 minutes, which would end up tied for his highest total of the season. In that contest, he also knocked down one of his four 3-pointers on the year.
The star defender’s best offensive trait is likely his passing ability, almost uncanny for a reserve big man. The former Orange standout racked up at least one assist in all but four games this season, often operating in a reverse pick-and-roll with a guard or finding a cutter — usually Sion James — with a bounce pass for an easy bucket.
The junior’s finest performance may have come at Louisville Dec. 8, where Brown provided the juice for Duke’s comeback victory over the Cardinals. With Cooper Flagg sidelined due to foul trouble, the veteran big helped Duke weather the storm; he racked up six points, three steals and a season-high 11 rebounds in the victory.
“Maliq in the game was +24. All the winning plays that he made on the defensive end, rebounds, blocks. He was so steady, but his competitive level was so high,” Scheyer said after that contest.
That steadiness would be derailed by injury as the Blue Devils worked their way through the ACC gauntlet. In a Feb. 17 contest at Virginia, Brown dislocated his shoulder reaching in for a steal on a Cavalier, forcing him to sit out until March 8. In that stretch, Scheyer had to look to his bench, mostly inexperienced big Patrick Ngongba II, to mitigate the loss.
That spring return was a welcome sight for Duke fans, especially as it came against heated rival North Carolina. On the road against the Tar Heels, Brown was a major catalyst in an impressive offensive performance, going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc and chipping in three assists in the win. However, the next game would be right back to the sidelines for the junior. In a scary scene, Brown again dislocated his shoulder in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Georgia Tech, resulting in him being stretchered out of the stadium and taken to a nearby hospital.
Again, the Blue Devils were without one of their top defenders. Some even assumed Brown would not return during the season. But after Duke dismantled Mount St. Mary’s and Baylor in the NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend, the Virginia native was ready to get back in the fold. After playing limited minutes in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight as he re-established himself on the floor, Brown was full-go in the Final Four against Houston. Despite the loss, he played 15 productive minutes as a counter to the Cougars’ small-ball lineup and star center J’Wan Roberts.
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Brown ended his first season as a Blue Devil falling just short of the ultimate goal, but his impact on this year’s Duke outfit was clear any time he entered the game. As one of the country’s most versatile defenders and a willing facilitator on an offense full of scorers, he fit like a glove to Scheyer’s team philosophy. His journey in Durham is not done just yet, though. Brown and Ngongba, along with top recruit Cameron Boozer, will look to keep the frontcourt a strength next season.
‘Welcome back, Maliq’: Brown’s impact on Duke men's basketball evident in decisive win against North Carolina
