Cooper Flagg made some waves when he said he wants “go come back next year” to Duke. Flagg had previously said that he’s “living in the present right now”, making it little surprise he’s enjoying his time at Duke.
However, returning to Duke would come at a significant loss in potential NBA salary. Flagg could stand to lose up to $75 million by delaying his entry to the NBA. This is because he’d then enter the NBA at a more typical age for a first-year player, while delaying starting his NBA years-of-service clock. As it stands, due to reclassifying and graduating high school a year early, Flagg is set to enter the NBA as one of the youngest players.
Despite making millions in NIL deals at Duke, it’s unlikely the talented freshman is touching anything near $75 million. That’s why most expect Flagg to enter the 2025 NBA Draft. And one Eastern Conference scout put it best: “I can’t remember a No. 1 pick deciding to go back to school.”
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