Some fans held onto hope. Those words —“I want to come back next year” kept the dream alive. But reality hit today. The Maine Event is heading to the NBA. Cooper Flagg officially declared for the draft. Yes, he technically has until May 28 to change his mind… but don’t keep your hopes up Duke fans. It is almost certain that his Duke journey has come to an end. And what a ride it was. The 6’9” freshman became just the fifth freshman ever to win the Wooden award. He’ll leave Duke with memories to last a lifetime. But deep down, there’ll always be that what if. What if he had hit that game-winner against Houston?

“Duke fans, my teammates, the brotherhood, everybody that was along for this journey, it was an incredible year, probably the best year of my life and I have so much gratitude and I feel so blessed for all the opportunities I was given,” said the 18 year old announcing his decision to leave.

It was a memorable year for him. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game. He led Duke in every major statistical category. Points. Boards. Assists. Steals. Blocks. All of it. He also helped the Blue Devils clinch the ACC regular season title, win the ACC Tournament, and reach the Final Four.

One of the greatest freshman seasons ever. No question. But, it could have been more. Flagg knows that. The fans know that. And they’ve made their feelings clear on social media. Duke came just two wins short of that sixth championship. Just two wins from basketball immortality. Let’s take a look at some of those reactions.

Fans frustrated as Cooper Flagg announces his departure

Fans were clearly not happy and they kept on looking back at the Final Four game. “Still missed the last shot” commented one fan. Another fan joined in saying, “this guy su-ks lmao Houston destroyed him AHAHH”

When Cooper Flagg looks back on his college career, those final 20 seconds in the Final Four are bound to hurt him. Duke was up 67-66 with just 20 seconds left. Tyrese Proctor headed to the free-throw line, but he missed. Flagg jumped for the rebound, but in the scramble, he reached over J’Wan Roberts. The whistle blew. Foul on Flagg.  A huge moment! Roberts stepped up and knocked down both. Houston led, 68-67.

Then came Flagg’s moment. One last shot. He got the ball. Drove hard into the paint. Rose up. Clean look. But it didn’t fall. It rattled off the rim and Houston grabbed the board. L.J. Cryer then knocked down two more free throws. Game over. 70-67. Heartbreak. That’s how Flagg’s college chapter came to a close. But let’s set the record straight– Cooper Flagg did not have a bad game, no matter what the popular belief is. The Duke phenom actually made history that night. He finished with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. Since defensive stats became official in 1986, no one had ever led their team in all five major categories in a Final Four game. Until Flagg did.

For now, Flagg sets his sights on the NBA Draft, hoping to bring glory to whichever franchise calls his name.

But not everyone’s sold on the hype. Some fans are already doubting him. “Cooper Flagg will be another bust in the NBA,” one fan posted. Another stirred the pot with a hot take by comparing some of the prospects present in the draft:  “Ace Bailey > Derik Queen > Cooper Flagg.”

Cooper Flagg is widely projected to be the number 1 pick in this year’s draft. And sure, history has shown that not every top pick lives up to the hype. Names like Anthony Bennett and Kwame Brown often come up in those “bust” conversations. But Cooper? His résumé speaks volumes. It’s hard to see him going down that road.

As for the others in the conversation. According to Kevin O’Connor’s latest mock draft, Ace Bailey, who wrapped up the season averaging 17.6 points and 7 rebounds, is slotted at number 3. Derik Queen, who gave us one of the highlights of March Madness with his buzzer-beater to send Maryland to the Sweet 16, is expected to go at number 8. They’re both talented player. But right now, Flagg’s just on another level.

“Who’s drafting Coop?!! 👀” That’s the big question on everyone’s mind. As of now, three teams are sitting with the best odds to land him. The Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz. Each of them has a 14% shot at snagging the number 1 pick. The NBA Draft Lottery goes down on May 12. Until then, it’s all about hope and crossed fingers as fans dream about Flagg suiting up for their squad.