Cooper Flagg Talks Leaving Duke for NBA Draft After Just One Season!

Cooper Flagg once toyed with the notion of staying at Duke for another year rather than jumping into the NBA draft as soon as he was eligible. However, the perfect situation for him to remain at Duke did not materialize, which somewhat simplified his decision to enter the draft.

In a recent discussion with Sports Illustrated‘s Chris Mannix, Flagg opened up about his thought process regarding the NBA draft decision he recently faced. He admitted that deep down, he felt entering the draft was ultimately the right choice for him. This realization came months after expressing in an interview his desire to “come back [to Duke] next year,” leading him to believe in hindsight that his decision was indeed the correct one.

“Was it an easy decision?” Flagg mused. “In some ways yes, in others no. If someone guaranteed that I could have the same teammates for another year, I would absolutely do it. But that’s not how things work out, and you can’t miss out on such opportunities. You have to do what’s best for yourself and move forward.”

Duke’s pursuit of a national championship ended abruptly when they were defeated by Houston in the Final Four of the NCAA men’s tournament last spring. Flagg’s ambition to win a national title made it even tougher for him to leave the Blue Devils. However, he recognized that the lineup he was part of during the 2024-25 season would not remain intact, given the dynamic nature of college basketball where players frequently transfer or declare for the draft, like his teammates Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel.

Flagg is anticipated to be the top pick in the upcoming draft, likely making him the newest addition to the Dallas Mavericks and introducing him to a new set of teammates. Undoubtedly, there are high expectations for his debut season in the NBA.

The NBA draft’s first round is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, June 25.

Explore More College Basketball on Sports Illustrated