NBA insider expects Cooper Flagg to join Charlotte Hornets over return to alma mater, defying odds

NBA insider Kevin O'Connor shared his two cents on the possibility of seeing Cooper Flagg back with Duke for his sophomore year. The player has hinted at that possibility instead of entering the 2025 NBA Draft, where he's expected to go No. 1 overall.

O'Connor shared an excerpt of his eponymous show on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, in which he predicts Flagg joining the Charlotte Hornets instead of returning to Duke.

"Betting odds out there say he's more likely to return to Duke than to play for the Hornets. I don't buy that he's more likely to Duke. However, there will be a day I think we'd see a projected No. 1 pick decide to go back to school, because the NIL money is just so significant that they'll say, 'You know what? I'll take some losses for one year in order to live a college life again,'" O'Connor said.

As things stand right now, odds have Cooper Flagg running it back with Duke (+290) rather than playing for the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards or Utah Jazz (+550) in the 2025-26 NBA season.

The forward is one of the best prospects the league has seen in recent years and his potential return to college would be shocking, to say the least. O'Connor added that even if he forgoes this year's draft, Flagg could still end up playing for the Hornets or Wizards.

NBA analyst compares Cooper Flagg to Jayson Tatum, Scottie Pippen

Cooper Flagg was already turning a lot of heads with his talents, but after making it to a bigger platform in the NCAA, the projected No. 1 overall pick reached new heights.

Analyst Seth Greenberg was inquired to compare Flagg to other basketball greats on Monday's edition of ESPN's "Get Up." He first went with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, then mentioned Grant Hill and closed it out with Scottie Pippen, a six-time NBA champion.

"He's got a little Jayson Tatum in his game, he's got a little Grant Hill in his game, he's got a little Scottie Pippen in his game," Greenberg said.

"You're talking about a 6-foot-9 guy that could run your offense through. You're talking about a 6-foot-9 guy that could defend multiple positions. You're talking about a 6-foot-9 guy that has a ridiculously high basketball IQ. We're talking about a 6-foot-9 guy that's 18 years old and just scratching the surface."

Flagg's future remains a mystery, but he won't miss opportunities regardless of what he does next.