Cooper Flagg hints at possible sophomore return

[PonyPride]

From cbssports.com:

Probable No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg says he wants 'to come back next year' for Duke, but he can't be serious
Duke star teased a return that would go down as the biggest shocker of the one-and-done era

By Cameron Salerno

Duke star Cooper Flagg is on track to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft this summer and has his team firmly in the national championship picture heading into the home stretch. The 18-year-old superstar is having one of the best seasons by a freshman in recent memory and is currently the betting favorite to win National Player of the Year.

Despite all of this, Flagg didn't rule out what would be an unprecedented return for his sophomore season. In an interview with the Athletic earlier this week, Flagg said he would, "want to come back next year."

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[PonyPride]

With the NIL era, of course, times have changed. Flagg's NIL value has been estimated at roughly $4 million in this, his freshman season, as he has proven that his status as an elite high school player translates to the college level. If he were to return, that figure surely would go up significantly.

Since before his arrival in Durham, Flagg has been considered the odds-on favorite to be selected with the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. For context, last year's No. 1 pick, Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, is pulling a rookie salary of just over $12.5 million.

[Dukie]

Flagg will leave. There is nothing in the current landscape that would cause him to stay. Though I'm sure it's tempting.