Cooper Flagg holds back tears in press conference following Duke's exit from March Madness vs Houston

Cooper Flagg's stellar freshman season with Duke came to a crashing halt on Saturday when the Blue Devils suffered a 70-67 loss to fellow top-seed Houston in the Final Four. Flagg also appeared to get emotional while looking back on the team's run and the success he shared with the Blue Devils teammates.

An emotional Flagg held back his tears when he touched upon his sparkling debut season at the collegiate level.

"Yeah, I mean it was an incredible season," Flagg said (48:50). "Incredible people, and these incredible relationships that I'm gonna have for the rest of my life. It didn't end the way we wanted it to, but it was still an incredible year."

Flagg also spoke highly about the relationships he shared with his teammates and the Duke coaching staff.

"I can speak for myself, and for the rest of the guys, and say that the connections and relationships we had all year long, was phenomenal," Flagg said (52:52). "I wouldn't have wanted it to be with anyone else, so I hope that was able to shine through on the court, and people can remember us and appreciate the way that we were able to play and the effort that we gave for one another."

In the final game of his freshman season, Flagg posted a game-high 27 points, while also recording seven rebounds and four assists. His teammate Kon Knueppel scored 16 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and was the only other Duke player with a notable contribution against Houston.

Cooper Flagg expected to declare for 2025 NBA draft after leading Duke to Final Four appearance

Duke star Cooper Flagg - Source: Getty

Although Cooper Flagg is yet to make a confirmed decision on his future, many believe that he is going to declare for this year's NBA draft. The Duke star is regarded as the No. 1 pick if he decides to go pro.

Flagg finished his freshman year with the Blue Devils year averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He helped Duke win the regular season title and the ACC Tournament title, before making a push into the Final Four of March Madness.