For 39 minutes, Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils appeared to have their Final Four matchup against Houston under control. But in a stunning turn, a last-minute collapse ended their 2024–25 season in heartbreak. Duke failed to score in the final 1:13, while Houston closed the game on a dramatic 9-0 run—taking the lead and the win in the final 33 seconds.
Now, the Blue Devils are bracing for significant changes heading into the 2025–26 season. Flagg, along with Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, are all projected lottery picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg, however, has emerged as the consensus favorite to be selected No. 1 overall after a stellar freshman campaign in which he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Late Friday night, Flagg appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter to reflect on his season and discuss what comes next. Despite widespread expectations that he’ll declare for the draft soon, Flagg said he’s not rushing the decision.
“I think kind of what you said—just evaluating, you know, reflecting,” Flagg said. “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.”
Cooper Flagg, a consensus All-American in his only season at Duke, has emerged as the frontrunner to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, according to numerous mock drafts. The Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, and Charlotte Hornets currently hold the best odds to land the top pick.
Still, Flagg hasn’t made a final decision. If he chooses to return to Duke for another year, he’d be joining an elite incoming freshman class that includes the Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden—two of the top prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The potential pairing of Flagg with the Boozers would immediately position the Blue Devils as title contenders once again.
As the basketball world speculates, Flagg is taking his time—evaluating his options and considering what’s best for his future, both on and off the court.
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