Duke star Cooper Flagg announces he’s declaring for 2025 NBA Draft

Cooper Flagg is headed to the NBA aft conscionable 1 play astatine Duke. 

The freshman prima took to societal media connected Monday to denote his determination to state for the draught successful June. He is mostly expected to beryllium the archetypal wide pick. 

Duke guardant Cooper Flagg dunks during the archetypal fractional against Baylor successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA Tournament astatine the Lenovo Center successful Raleigh, N.C., connected March 23, 2025. (Zachary Taft-Imagn Images)

"It was an unthinkable year, astir apt the champion twelvemonth of my life," Flagg, 18, said successful a video posted to his Instagram. "I person truthful overmuch gratitude, I consciousness truthful blessed for each the opportunities I was given."

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"Duke has ever been a imagination for me, but I’m excited to denote that I’ll beryllium entering my sanction into the 2025 NBA Draft. Today’s conscionable the beginning, but I person ‘the brotherhood’ with maine for life." 

Flagg led Duke this play successful astir each statistical category, including points (709), rebounds (278), assists (155), steals (52) and blocks per crippled (1.4). He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, but his champion showing was successful January erstwhile helium acceptable an ACC freshman grounds with a 42-point show against Notre Dame. 

Duke guardant Cooper Flagg controls the shot during the 2nd fractional against Baylor successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA Tournament astatine the Lenovo Center successful Raleigh, N.C., connected March 23, 2025. (Zachary Taft-Imagn Images)

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"Really arrogant of Cooper for the peculiar play that helium had this year. I deliberation the accolades talk for itself with what helium did," caput manager Jon Scheyer said successful a video posted connected the team’s societal media. "His highlights, his statistics, the ways helium impacted the crippled connected some ends of the floor, truly successful each category, was disconnected the charts, arsenic bully of a freshman play that a feline has had here."

Flagg closed retired a phenomenal twelvemonth with a semifinal quality successful the NCAA men’s tourney and was named the victor of the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year Award, becoming conscionable the 4th freshman to beryllium named its recipient.

Duke guardant Cooper Flagg (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

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The draught lottery is slated for adjacent month. The Utah Jazz finished the play with the NBA's worst grounds and has a 14% accidental of winning the archetypal pick.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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