Roughly a couple of weeks ago, Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils fell 70-67 against the Houston Cougars in the March Madness Final-Four. It was one of the most brutal collapses in college basketball history. Despite that, the 18-year-old posted incredible numbers as a freshman. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in his first season of collegiate basketball. All of this while shooting an insane 48.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. With his freshman year all wrapped up, there has been a lot of speculation about the Duke star’s future.

Many expected him to stay and experience college basketball for another year and potentially win a national championship. Meanwhile, others want him to play in the NBA as soon as possible. After several weeks of silence, Cooper Flagg has finally made up his mind. So, what’s his decision? Flagg is headed to the NBA. The 18-year-old has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft! “Duke fans, my teammates, the Brotherhood, and everybody that was along for this journey. It was an incredible year, probably the best year of my life,” Flagg said in an emotional goodbye video for the Blue Devils fans.

“I have so much gratitude. I feel so blessed for all the opportunities that I was given. Duke has always been a dream for me, but I’m excited to announce that I’ll be entering my name into the 2025 NBA Draft. Today is just the beginning, but I have the Brotherhood with me for life.” Flagg has been the consensus favorite to be this year’s No. 1 pick. But, despite that, many people thought that he could’ve stayed back for another year, won a championship, and cemented his legacy as one of the best players to ever wear the Blue Devils uniform. So, what made the Duke forward declare for the NBA draft?

What factors made Cooper Flagg declare for the NBA Draft?

Cooper Flagg had a spectacular season in Durham, apart from the rough Final-Four loss against Houston. His incredible performances earned him the Naismith National Player of the Year award, in addition to the prestigious Wooden Award and National Player of the Year honors. The Maine native fulfilled the enormous expectations set for him being the top player in the 2024 recruiting class. He won almost every individual accolade that was to be won in just one season. So, that might’ve played a factor in him declaring for the NBA Draft. Though he has declared for the draft, Flagg has until May 28th to make a final decision.

In February, Flagg sounded as if he wanted to extend his stay in Durham. “I want to come back next year,” he told The Athletic. “I still feel like a kid. This is the only way I’ve ever known college. That’s how I see it,” he continued. “I really wouldn’t know how kids felt before, and if this feels different, if this feels more like being a professional. I mean, it’s the same thing for kids in high school, too, getting paid a lot of money, I don’t know, I feel pretty normal.” But that was two months ago. It seems Cooper Flagg has had a change of mind since then. Well, you cannot blame him. The idea of being the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft is every hooper’s dream.

So, Flagg cannot let that opportunity slide away. Additionally, you cannot overlook the financial aspect of this decision. While Flagg is already making millions hooping, his contract in the NBA will be much more lucrative. Not to mention, he’ll also start his clock for a massive extension after his third season in the league. Then there’s always the risk of suffering an unfortunate injury. It would be devastating if he decided to play another year for Duke and ended up getting injured. That would’ve hampered his stock massively. Overall, declaring for the draft makes much more sense from Flagg’s perspective.

As his college basketball journey comes to an end, let’s take a moment to admire Flagg’s stats for Duke.

In which year is Cooper Flagg in? What are his stats?

This was Cooper Flagg’s first season in college basketball. The 18-year-old Maine native enrolled in Duke’s basketball program as a five-star recruit in June 2024. Ironically, Flagg made his college debut in Duke’s season opener against Maine. The forward announced himself by dropping 18 points with seven rebounds and five assists against Maine. From then onwards, Flagg did not look back. He had several great performances, including a 42-point record-breaking night against Notre Dame.

Cooper Flagg finished his freshman season with several accolades to his name. Thanks to his incredible stat line in Durham. The Duke star averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in his maiden season with the Blue Devils. He was also solid on the other end of the court, recording 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in his 37 appearances for Duke. He has truly cemented his name in the program’s extensive history, and he’ll be a name we are not going to forget anytime soon.

What does “One-and-Done” mean in the case of Cooper Flagg?

Duke’s Cooper Flagg is NBA Draft-bound! After a one-and-done dominating season at Durham, Flagg is moving on. The 18-year-old forward is set to join the likes of Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving by becoming a one-and-done player. That’s some esteemed company, for sure! The one-and-done isn’t for everyone. There are certain rules and regulations that one must meet in order to be able to declare for the NBA Draft after just one season of college basketball. The first rule is that players must be 19 years old according to the calendar year, which Cooper Flagg is. Moreover, another criterion to be met is one year removed from the player’s high school.

This was introduced to stop players from directly going pro from high schools like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. After meeting these requirements, a player like Cooper Flagg can declare for the draft. Another major reason for Flagg’s decision is, of course, his spectacular talent and high draft projection. Speaking of which, Cooper Flagg’s name is almost locked in on the No. 1 spot. So, where could the Duke star land this summer? According to several draft projections, the Utah Jazz are the top contenders to land Flagg. Meanwhile, the other options include the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets. It will be interesting to see where Cooper Flagg ends up as we wait for the draft to be held in New York.