What If He Stayed? Cooper Flagg Opens Up About a Decision That Could Have Changed Everything — Why Leaving the Blue Devils Was the Right Call, Even If It Wasn’t Easy
In the lead-up to the 2025 NBA Draft, projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg is making headlines again—not for his game, but for his honesty.
In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, the Duke freshman phenom opened up about the decision that’s still weighing on him: leaving Duke after just one season.
“I wanted to come back next year,” Flagg revealed. “If I could’ve had the same group of guys, same chemistry, same goals—it wouldn’t even be a question. I would’ve stayed. But that’s not how college basketball works anymore.”
Indeed, Flagg’s year at Duke was nothing short of electric. The 6-foot-9 forward helped lead the Blue Devils to the Final Four, where they fell just short of a national title in a hard-fought battle against Houston. Alongside teammates Tyrese Proctor, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach, Flagg had formed a roster that looked destined for greatness. But when the season ended, so did the team.
As players entered the transfer portal and teammates declared for the NBA Draft, it became clear that Duke’s dream squad would not return intact.
“Was it obvious I should go to the draft? Yes and no,” Flagg said. “But the NBA is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I had to think not just emotionally, but logically. The timing made sense.”
Flagg’s maturity shines through his decision-making. Many believed he might return to Duke to chase the national championship that eluded him, especially after he publicly expressed interest in coming back earlier in the season. But ultimately, Flagg recognized that chasing a title with a restructured team might not bring the same magic.
Now, all signs point to him being selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the upcoming NBA Draft on June 25. It’s a moment that will mark the beginning of what many expect to be a historic career.
Still, the question lingers: What if he stayed?
It’s a question that fans in Durham—and across the basketball world—will ask for years. But for Flagg, there’s no looking back. “I’ll always love Duke. That place changed my life,” he said. “But I’m ready for what’s next.”
With his elite size, court vision, defensive instincts, and leadership, Cooper Flagg enters the NBA not just as a top pick, but as a symbol of the changing landscape of college basketball—where decisions are rarely simple and loyalty often clashes with opportunity.
One thing is clear: whether he stayed or left, Cooper Flagg was
always destined to rise.
