Duke star Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 overall pick, declares for 2025 NBA Draft: What makes him so good?
Duke star Cooper Flagg is declaring for the 2025 NBA Draft after producing one of the best one-and-done seasons in college basketball history, he announced Monday on social media. The 6-foot-9 forward is the projected No. 1 overall pick in this summer's draft and departs Duke after capturing CBS Sports National Player of the Year honors.
Flagg is one of the best NBA Draft prospects of the modern era. Flagg's Duke team was eliminated in the NCAA Tournament after squandering a 14-point lead against Houston in the national semifinals. In his final college game, Flagg recorded 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals. Flagg became the first player to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in a Final Four game since the defensive stats became official in 1986.
Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds 4.2 assists and 1.4 blocks per game during his stellar freshman season. He finished No. 1 on his team in every major statistical category and became the fifth player in the 2000s to make the All-Tournament team without playing in the national title game.
Flagg is the best two-way player in this draft class. He was known for his defensive prowess entering his first and only season at the college level but developed into a legitimate threat on the offensive end. Flagg scored a career-high 42 points in a win over Notre Dame in January.
Cooper Flagg's NBA Draft projectionFlagg ranks No. 1 in the 2025 CBS Sports NBA Draft Prospect Rankings. Flagg's name has penciled in as the No. 1 pick in every mock draft CBS Sports has done since the 2024 NBA Draft came to a close.
CBS Sports draft analyst Adam Finkelstein referred to Flagg as an "ultra-versatile two-way" threat in his most recent mock draft.
"The Wizards would be the big winners if the ping pong balls bounced this way as Flagg is the runaway favorite to be the number one pick at this point," Finkelstein wrote. "The ultra-versatile two-way threat could join Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson if he is college basketball's Player of the Year before becoming the top overall pick. If he adds an NCAA championship to that, it will be just him and Davis in that category. In other words, he hasn't just lived up to the hype, he's exceeded it, as the gains in his shooting and self-creation have only added to the allure surrounding his defense, competitiveness, passing, and athleticism."
The NBA Draft lottery is May 12; we'll learn then where Flagg will spend the first years of his NBA career. Utah, Washington and Charlotte are tied for the best odds to win the No. 1 pick.
🏀 Duke players drafted No. 1 overall in modern era
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Paolo Banchero | Magic |
| 2019 | Zion Williamson | Pelicans |
| 2011 | Kyrie Irving | Cavaliers |
| 1999 | Elton Brand | Bulls |
Despite losing Flagg, Duke is still the early favorite to win the 2026 national championship. Heading into Year 4 of the Jon Scheyer era, Duke faces plenty of questions. The Blue Devils could be looking at a major overhaul of their starting lineup again. Tulane transfer Sion James has exhausted his eligibility, and veteran guard Tyrese Proctor has a decision to make about returning to school for another season or turning pro. He's expected to go pro.
The headliner of Duke's incoming recruiting class is five-star forward Cameron Boozer, the son of NBA legend Carlos Boozer. Losing a generational college talent such as Flagg stings, but Duke will still be competitive.
Flagg's Duke career in perspectiveFlagg capped a historic freshman season at Duke by becoming just the fourth freshman ever to win the Naismith Award, joining elite company in Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson. He's also the ninth Duke player to earn the honor and the first since Zion in 2019. Flagg swept the major national awards — the Naismith, AP Player of the Year, and Wooden — becoming just the seventh Duke player to win all three in the same season.
Statistically, Flagg's season was unmatched. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game — leading Duke in all five categories, a feat no freshman has accomplished since Ben Simmons in 2015-16. He became the first Division I player in history to post 700-plus points, 250-plus rebounds, 150-plus assists, 50-plus steals, and 50-plus blocks in a single season — as well as the only D-I player ever with 150+ assists, 50+ steals, 50+ blocks and 50 made threes. In the NCAA Tournament, he averaged 21.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 blocks, becoming just the second player ever to record 100-plus points, 25-plus assists, and 10-plus blocks in a single tournament.
cbssports
