Cooper Flagg led Duke to an ACC title and the Final Four. The NBA is next.

Steve Wiseman, The News & Observer on Apr 21, 2025

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DURHAM, N.C. — Cooper Flagg began his Duke career as the projected No. 1 pick for the 2025 NBA draft and is ending it with the same status.

After a national player of the year season with the Blue Devils, helping them win the ACC and reach the Final Four, Flagg declared for the NBA draft on Monday, and he’s still the overwhelming favorite to be the first player selected on June 25.

“Duke fans, my teammates, the brotherhood and everybody that was along for this journey,” Flagg said in an Instagram post, “it was an incredible year, probably the best year of my life. 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 in the 2025 NBA draft. Today is just the beginning but I’ll have the brotherhood with me for life.”

Should Flagg go No. 1 as expected, he would be Duke’s sixth No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. The others were Art Heyman (1963, New York Knicks), Elton Brand (1999, Chicago Bulls), Kyrie Irving (2011, Cleveland Cavaliers), Zion Williamson (2019, New Orleans Pelicans) and Paolo Banchero (2022, Orlando Magic).

A 6-9 forward, Flagg led Duke in scoring, rebounding, assists, blocked shots and steals, displaying his talents that are as versatile as they are generational. A consensus first-team all-American, Flagg won numerous national player of the year honors, including the Wooden Award and also from the Associated Press and U.S. Basketball Writer’s Association.

After missing most of the ACC Tournament with a sprained ankle, Flagg showed his versatile talents in Duke’s five NCAA Tournament games, averaging 21 points, 7.6 rebounds and five assists per game

“I’m really proud of Cooper for the special season that he had this year,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “The accolades speak for themselves with what he did, winning every national player of the year award. The highlights, the statistics, the ways he impacted the game on both ends of the floor, really every category was off the charts, as good of a freshman season as a guy’s had here. But, to me, the separator and the joy of coaching Cooper is the person he was every day, the teammate that he was. Never about statistics, or anything other than creating an environment and helping his team to win. We won a lot of games and had a lot of success. A lot of times that environment is created from your best player. Cooper did an incredible job in every facet for our program on and off the court with what he’s done.”

Flagg joins fellow freshmen Kon Knueppel and junior guard Tyrese Proctor among Duke starters leaving school early for the NBA. With 6-6 forward Sion James having used all his NCAA eligibility, Duke coach Jon Scheyer must replace at least four of the five starters from his 35-4 team that won the ACC championship and made the Final Four.

The lone NBA decision still pending is that of 7-2 freshman center Khaman Maluach, a projected lottery pick along with Flagg and Knueppel. Because of that, Maluach is expected to turn pro meaning Scheyer will have an entire starting five to replace.

In addition to an incoming freshman class featuring 6-9 forward Cameron Boozer, 6-4 guard Cayden Boozer and 6-11 power forward Nik Khamenia, Duke returns 6-5 junior guard Caleb Foster, 6-9 senior forward Maliq Brown and 6-11 sophomore center Pat Ngongba. Two rising 6-6 sophomores, Isaiah Evans and Darren Harris, are also on track to return.

That leaves the Blue Devils plenty of roster space to mine the transfer portal for veteran additions, with 6-6 Washington State transfer shooting guard Cedric Coward a player of interest to Duke.

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