Cooper Flagg Declares for 2025 NBA Draft

Cooper Flagg made it official. After one incredible season with the Duke Blue Devils, he has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. The announcement came on April 21 through his Instagram page. Most people figured this was going to happen, but now it is real. Flagg had one of the best freshman seasons in college basketball history, and now he is ready to take that next step. All signs point toward him being the number one overall pick.

Flagg’s Freshman Year Was Something Else

From the start of the season, Cooper Flagg looked different. He did not just play well. He played like someone who already belonged in the pros. He finished the year averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. He was the first player ever at Duke to lead the team in all five of those categories in a single season. That has never happened before. Not even with all the legends who came through that program.

His game against Notre Dame turned heads. He scored 42 points and pretty much took over. Then, in the Final Four, when the lights were brightest, he dropped 27 points on Houston. He did not disappear like some stars do under pressure. Instead, he looked more locked in. That is part of why people are so high on him.

Flagg did not leave college empty-handed either. He won the John R. Wooden Award, the Naismith Player of the Year, and both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year. That is a clean sweep.

What Happens Next In the Draft

The NBA Draft Lottery is set for May 12. The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets all have the best chance at landing the top pick, each sitting at 14 percent. Whoever gets that No. 1 pick will probably take Flagg. It seems like a done deal.

He still technically has until May 28 to back out of the draft if he wants to return to college, but that does not look likely. Everything about this move feels permanent. Scouts are already comparing him to elite NBA forwards. Some say he has the vision of a point guard and the body of a forward. He checks a bunch of boxes. The draft will be held June 25 in Brooklyn. It is expected that Flagg will be front and center.

Cooper Flagg To the NBA

Flagg declaring for the draft is no shock. Everyone who watched him this year saw it coming. He has the stats, the awards, and the presence of a future NBA star. Whether he ends up in Utah, Washington, or Charlotte, he is going to change the direction of whichever team picks him. It is just the beginning, but it already feels like the NBA is getting something special.