"He's guaranteed $50-60M" - Ex-Mavericks player gives sage advice to Cooper Flagg over looming NBA future decision

The stage is set for Cooper Flagg to become the number-one pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Some analysts, however, are still entertaining the thought of the Duke freshman skipping the draft and spending at least one more year with the Blue Devils.

On Tuesday's episode of "Run It Back," ex-Dallas Mavericks player Chandler Parsons pushed back against this idea. According to Parsons, that option would not be financially sound:

"If I'm Cooper Flagg, I already skipped a year in high school. Why would I waste another year before I get that 250, 350 million deal in the NBA when I'm ready now?" Parsons said. "When he declares, he's guaranteed 50, 60 million dollars."

As far as contract projections go, Parsons is onto something, as Zaccharie Risacher signed a four-deal, $57 million contract after being selected first overall in the 2024 draft.

Parsons, a 2011 second-round pick who carved out a solid NBA career, also weighed in on the thought that Flagg could avoid certain lottery teams:

"If you're ducking a Charlotte or a Washington, I think that's a little bit silly because those teams are most likely gonna be there next year."

Of course, there's also the unfinished business of bringing a title to the Duke program — something that Flagg failed to do as Houston thwarted his chances in their Final Four matchup this year.

As far as Parsons is concerned, though, the potential value of Flagg's rookie contract — not to mention the allure of a much bigger NBA deal — should be enough reason for the 18-year-old to throw his name into the hat.

Cooper Flagg on missed go-ahead basket against Houston: "It's a shot I'm willing to live with"

To Cooper Flagg's credit, he displayed maturity by taking accountability for his crucial miss in the Final Four loss to Houston.

With 17.2 seconds left in that game and Duke down by one, Flagg got as close as he could to the paint and fired off a jumper, which hit the front of the rim. The Cougars ended up securing the 70-67 win moments later.

In the postgame interview, Flagg owned the fateful shot that he took and missed:

"Though I got my feet set, rose up, left it short obviously," he said. "It's a shot I'm willing to live with in that scenario, pulling up on the rim, trust the work that I put in." [Timestamp - 3:04]

Though Flagg misfired in that possession, his overall performance as a Duke freshman is nevertheless a strong case for his selection as the top pick in this year's NBA draft.