The reasons why Cooper Flagg should stay at Duke and wait a year before entering the 2026 Draft

The 2025 national championship game is played without the favorite: the Blue Devils of Duke. A monumental collapse in the final minutes led Cooper Flagg and company to end their season in heartbreaking fashion. The entire world believes that Flagg has played his last game as a Blue Devil, and rightfully so. Flagg won the Wooden Award, given to the best college player in the country, in his freshman year. He achieved everything he needed individually, but basketball is not an individual sport. In this article, we will explore the reasons why freshman sensation player Cooper Flagg should return to Duke for one more season.

There is always talk about Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis for one main reason: they were the best players on a national championship team. Flagg won individual awards but couldn't bring home the hardware like Anthony and Davis did. Duke has an elite recruiting class (ranked first in the country) for 2025. Four of the top 24 players in the class signed with the Blue Devils. If Cooper Flagg returns to Duke for another season, he will have another incredible complement of players around him. We know he will bring intensity to every game, especially in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils would be the clear favorites, further increasing their chances of winning the national championship.

If Cooper Flagg chooses not to return to Duke, he is likely to be the top pick in the draft. Although this is an incredible achievement, the franchises most likely to recruit Flagg are not known for their success. Philadelphia is by far the best landing spot due to its core of elite talent. However, Brooklyn, Charlotte, New Orleans, and Washington have not had much success, and Utah has also not been able to bring home a championship. Flagg doesn't seem like the type to waste part of his career on a team with little hope of winning. Most of these lottery teams are not just one player away from a title. Most of them would probably struggle next season (or two) even with Cooper Flagg. It might be wise to see which winning franchises have better odds in 2026.

Another reason why Flagg should stay at Duke

NIL has changed college basketball in many ways, including players returning. Players used to have a choice: stay in college and get a free education without money, or enter the draft and start earning a living. Now they can do both. If Cooper Flagg comes back to Duke, the attention he generates overall would provide him with a huge sum of NIL deals. Duke would pay a lot of money to retain the best player in the country for one more season. He would be delaying his first NBA contract, which could be a disadvantage, but Flagg has to consider if another year with millions of dollars in NIL is worth delaying his NBA debut. Money isn't everything: he would be coming back to win a championship. The money would be a huge bonus that wasn't available 10 years ago.

This decision boils down to what Flagg wants for his career. Flagg will decide what is best for his entire career, not just for one year. However, his return could change the landscape of college basketball as we know it. And more importantly, it would allow Flagg to position himself among the elite and win a second Wooden Award and a national championship. None of that is guaranteed, but if anyone can do it, it's Flagg. Cooper Flagg is unlikely to return to Duke, probably for a good reason. However, there are several good reasons to stay.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las razones por las que Cooper Flagg debería seguir en Duke y esperar un año antes de presentarse al Draft de 2026