Cooper Flagg Reflects on Decision to Leave Duke After One Season Ahead of NBA Draft

The projected No. 1 pick once seemed to float the idea to remain with the Blue Devils for another season.

Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg, guard Tyrese Proctor and guard Kon Knueppel react during the Final Four. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Cooper Flagg once seemed to float the idea of returning to Duke for a sophomore season instead of declaring for the NBA draft as soon as he was eligible. But the ideal scenario for him to return to Duke wasn't possible, so it made his decision to enter the draft a bit easier.

Flagg recently sat down with Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix and detailed the NBA draft decision process he went through recently. It sounds like deep down, Flagg knew declaring for the draft was the best option for himself. So, months after he said he "wanted to come back [to Duke] next year" in an interview, Flagg thinks he made the best decision in hindsight.

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“Was it obvious?” Flagg said. “Yes and no. If somebody could tell me that I could have that group of people for another year and go back and have the exact same team, I would a 100% do it. But it’s just not reality and you can’t pass up on the opportunity. You just have to do what’s best for you and move on.”

The Blue Devils' push for a national title was cut short after Houston eliminated them in the Final Four of the NCAA men's tournament in the spring. Flagg's collegiate goal was to win a national championship, so not doing so made it even more difficult for him to move on from the Blue Devils. But as he mentioned in his response, Flagg knew the squad he played with for the 2024-25 season wouldn't be the same. Players are constantly entering the transfer portal now, and some of Flagg's Duke teammates, like Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel, also declared for the draft.

Flagg is the projected No. 1 pick in next week's draft, meaning he'll likely end up as the newest star of the Dallas Mavericks and gain new teammates. He has a lot of high expectations put on him for his rookie season, that's for sure.

The first round of the NBA draft starts on Wednesday, June 25.

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