Duke’s Cooper Flagg confirms he is getting into NBA draft

Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg, the Picket Award winner and projected No. 1 decide, is formally getting into the NBA draft, he introduced Monday.

Flagg launched a video on social media.

“Duke followers, my teammates, the brotherhood, everyone that was alongside for the journey. It was an unimaginable 12 months, in all probability the very best 12 months of my life and I’ve a lot gratitude and I really feel so blessed for all of the alternatives that I used to be given. Duke has at all times been a dream for me, however I am excited to announce that I will be getting into my identify into the 2025 NBA draft,” he mentioned.

“Immediately is just the start, however I’ve the Brotherhood with me for all times.”

Flagg, the previous No. 1 prospect within the 2024 highschool class, has been thought of the prohibitive favourite to be drafted first general within the 2025 NBA draft since he grew to become eligible upon reclassifying in August 2023.

The 6-foot-9 ahead then went on to common 19.2 factors, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists throughout his lone season at Duke, main the Blue Devils to a 35-4 document and a Remaining 4 look.

“Actually pleased with Cooper for the particular season that he had this 12 months,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer mentioned. “I believe the accolades communicate for itself, with what he did, profitable each Nationwide Participant of the Yr award. His highlights, his statistics, the methods he impacted the sport on each ends of the ground, actually in each class, was off the charts. Nearly as good of a freshman season {that a} man has had right here.

“However to me, the separator and the enjoyment of teaching Cooper is the individual he was daily, the teammate that he was. By no means about statistics or something aside from creating an surroundings and serving to his group to win. And we received numerous video games and had numerous success and numerous occasions that surroundings is created out of your finest participant. And Cooper did an unimaginable job in each side of our program, on and off the courtroom, with what he is accomplished.”

Flagg backed up the preseason hype with a robust exhibiting throughout nonconference play, however he actually hit his stride throughout ACC competitors in January. He averaged 25.4 factors, 6.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists that month, taking pictures 57.9% from the sphere and 42.9% from 3-point vary.

His assertion efficiency got here in opposition to Notre Dame in January, when he set the ACC freshman document for factors in a sport after going for 42 factors, 6 rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Preventing Irish.

Flagg suffered an ankle harm throughout the ACC event, however returned to type within the NCAA event — together with a 30-point, 6-rebound, 7-assist effort in a Candy 16 win over Arizona.

He was the consensus Nationwide Participant of the Yr and have become solely the fourth freshman to win the Picket Award.