Cooper Flagg Reflects on Freshman Season and Teases Upcoming Decision
Cooper Flagg offered fans a rare glimpse into his mindset as he begins to evaluate his next steps following a historic freshman season at Duke.
Arriving in Durham with sky-high expectations, the Maine native not only lived up to the hype but exceeded it. Flagg didn’t just dominate among first-year players—he emerged as the top player in all of college basketball, earning the AP National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, and ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
Statistically, Flagg was a force across the board, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. He led Duke in all five major statistical categories and helped power the Blue Devils to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and a Final Four appearance.
With his freshman campaign now in the books, attention has turned to Flagg’s next move. While he’s widely projected as the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, he has yet to officially declare, leaving Duke fans clinging to a sliver of hope that he might return for another year.
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Sean Farnham, Flagg addressed that possibility while reflecting on his season. Farnham played a clip of Duke fans chanting “one more year” during Flagg’s final home game, prompting the freshman to open up:
“Yeah I mean, I think kind of what you [Farnham] said, just evaluating, you know reflecting, you know it was an incredible year. I met a lot of incredible people, made a ton of great relationships that I’m going to have for the rest of my life. And I think now it’s time for me to reflect, you know take a couple days, take a week, take a month. Whatever it is for me. Talk to my parents, talk to the coaches, and just really decide what’s best for me.”
While Flagg didn’t tip his hand one way or the other, the prevailing belief remains that it would take something extraordinary to keep him in college. Still, his thoughtful comments leave the door—if only slightly—cracked open, offering Duke fans one last thread of hope before what seems to be an inevitable jump to the NBA.
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