Only 1-3% of NCAA college basketball players take their skills to the next level in the NBA. 

This extremely low percentage shows the talent, dedication, and drive it takes for college athletes to make it to the NBA. However, Duke’s freshman forward, Cooper Flagg, is already an NBA prospect.

Cooper Flaggs’ Stardom Status

In this 2024-2025 season, Flagg is ranked 17th, averaging 19.8 points a game and a 48.3% field goal shooting average. He proves he hasn’t let the freshman/rookie stereotypes hold him back. Not only can he prove his abilities by shooting, but he also averages 7.6 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists. 

Taking the world of college basketball by surprise, he holds a NIL deal worth $4.8 million, making him the second-highest-valued college athlete. Including partnerships with Fanatics and deals with New Balance and Gatorage. 

Likely to be National Player of the Year, Flagg would become the third college freshman to earn this honor since the freshman NCAA eligibility was first enacted in 1972-73. Kevin Durant and Zion Williamson are the prior two. Not stopping there, he is also expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft and ACC Player of the Year. 

Meeting Expectations

Multiple steps ahead, Flagg is unlikely to finish his standard 4-year college career. At the young age of 18, he is becoming the talk of the league. 

Continuing his excellence as more than just a player, head coach Jon Scheyer said Flagg has shown no signs of selfishness or a descriptive ego during his time as a Blue Devils teammate. 

Duke appeared in the NCAA tournament 24 consecutive years from 1996-2019, establishing it as an elite basketball school. It’s safe to say that Flagg is meeting their high standards. 

Above And Beyond The College Level

Flagg won a gold medal with the FIBA U15 World Cup team outside of the collegiate level in 2022. He was also part of the 2024 USA Men’s Junior National Select Team and the 2022 USA Men’s U17 National Team.

As a 2024 USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit team player, he recorded a team-best, scoring 19 points and a team-high of 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal within 25 minutes in the game against the World Select Squad.

Will Flagg Follow The Fame?

Is being the first-round NBA draft pick something one can pass up? Many will question whether jumping into the NBA after only one year of college is the right decision—not only due to the limited high-level athletic experience but also the life lessons and opportunities that college can offer. 

Flagg will have many considerations; however, he has already seemed to prove that a future in basketball is in his cards, and the decision will be about “when” rather than “if.”