Cooper Flagg’s declaration for NBA leaves fans ecstatic

Modified Apr 21, 2025 17:38 GMT

NCAA Basketball: Final Four National Semifinal-Houston at Duke - Source: Imagn — Cooper Flagg’s declaration for NBA leaves fans ecstatic (Source: Imagn)

Over the past year, the hype has continued to build around potential No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. Following a dominant freshman campaign at Duke, the versatile forward has told the world what is next for him on his basketball journey.

During the college basketball season, Flagg hinted at possibly returning to Duke for another year. However, that will not be the case. On Monday morning, he took to Instagram to officially announce that he'll be entering his name in the 2025 NBA draft.

"Duke fans, my teammates, the brotherhood, everybody that was along for the journey," Flagg said in the video. "It was an incredible year, probably the best year of my life and I have so much gratitude and I feel so blessed for all the opportunities that I was given. Duke has always been a dream for me, but I'm excited to announce that I'll be entering my name into the 2025 NBA draft.

"Today is just the beginning, but I have the Brotherhood with me for life."

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Cooper Flagg had an impressive showing at Team USA Camp last summer, which led the hype starting to build around him heading into college. The buzz only ended up growing from there, as he was nothing short of spectacular at Duke.

The Blue Devils had multiple top prospects on their roster, but Flagg stood out above the rest. He was one of the nation's top stars, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 blocks.

With his decision set, Flagg will now attempt to live up to the sizable expectations set for him at the NBA level.

NBA fans erupt over Cooper Flagg NBA Draft annoucement

With him likely being the top pick in this year's draft, fans across the league were ecstatic to hear that Fagg is making the jump to the pros. Now that he is officially in the pool of prospects, people are begging their favorite team to secure the top pick in the lottery.

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With the new flattened lottery odds, far more fan bases are filled with the excitement of possibly landing such a highly touted prospect as Cooper Flagg.

"WELCOME TO DC," one fan said.

"Pelican or Jazz I pray," another fan said.

"He’s such a NET omg @BrooklynNets don’t mess this up," said one fan.

All attention now shifts to the NBA draft lottery, which is set to take place on May 12.

About the author

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin's passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he's had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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Edited by Kevin McCormick