Confirmed: Cooper Flagg Leaves Duke—The Shocking Details Of His One-and-Done Exit And $75 Million NBA Future

The question has been definitively answered: Cooper Flagg is no longer a Duke Blue Devil. The consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2024 officially announced his departure from the program to enter the 2025 NBA Draft following one of the most decorated freshman seasons in college basketball history. This move, which was widely anticipated by NBA scouts and analysts, cemented the end of the "Cooper Flagg Era" in Durham after a single, spectacular year, setting the stage for his generational leap to the professional ranks in late 2025.

The decision, confirmed in a video announcement on Monday, April 21, 2025, was less of a surprise and more of a formality for a player projected to be the top pick in the upcoming draft. While Duke fans and coach Jon Scheyer had held out hope for a sophomore return—a dream scenario to chase a National Championship—the financial realities and unprecedented accolades of Flagg's freshman campaign made the "one-and-done" path an inevitability. His exit immediately shifted the focus of the Duke program to the transfer portal to fill the massive void left by the National Player of the Year.

Cooper Flagg: Full Biography and Record-Breaking Freshman Profile

Cooper Flagg arrived at Duke University with perhaps the highest level of hype since Zion Williamson, a title he quickly validated. Born on December 21, 2006, in Newport, Maine, Flagg quickly rose from a small-town standout at Nokomis Regional High School to a national sensation at Montverde Academy in Florida, where he reclassified to the Class of 2024. His basketball lineage runs deep, as both his mother, Kelly Bowman Flagg, and father, Ralph Flagg, played college basketball.

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The 6-foot-9, 205-pound Power Forward was a defensive menace and an offensive focal point for the Blue Devils, playing his home games in the legendary Cameron Indoor Stadium. His freshman season was a historic run of individual achievement that left little doubt about his readiness for the NBA.

• Full Name: Cooper Flagg
• Date of Birth: December 21, 2006
• Hometown: Newport, Maine
• Parents: Kelly Bowman Flagg and Ralph Flagg
• High School: Montverde Academy (FL)
• College: Duke University (2024–2025)
• Position: Power Forward / Small Forward
• Height/Weight: 6'9" / 205 lbs

Key Freshman Season Accolades and Stats (2024-2025)

Flagg’s season at Duke transcended typical freshman performance. He became only the fourth freshman in college basketball history to win the prestigious Naismith College Player of the Year award, joining an elite group of players. His dominance was recognized across every major award platform.

• Points Per Game (PPG): 19.2
• Rebounds Per Game (RPG): 7.5
• Assists Per Game (APG): 4.2
• Steals Per Game (SPG): 1.4
• Blocks Per Game (BPG): 1.4

In addition to the Naismith Award, Flagg secured a clean sweep of major honors, including the Wooden Award, the NABC Player of the Year, and the ACC Player of the Year. His all-around impact, particularly his defensive versatility and playmaking from the forward position, drew comparisons to elite prospects like Victor Wembanyama and solidified his status as a generational talent.

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The Inevitable One-and-Done: Why Flagg Left for the NBA

The "is Cooper Flagg leaving Duke" narrative was less about uncertainty and more about the timing of the announcement. In the modern college basketball landscape, top-tier prospects like Flagg are essentially rentals for one season before making the jump to the NBA. The financial incentives and the player's readiness make the one-and-done path the only logical choice.

Flagg's decision was heavily influenced by his projected draft stock. He is the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a position that guarantees a massive rookie contract and immediate access to lucrative endorsement deals far exceeding any potential Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings he could secure by staying at Duke. NBA analysts estimate his long-term career value and initial contract could easily exceed $75 million, making a return to college a fiscally irresponsible choice.

His performance throughout the NCAA Tournament, including a spectacular 30-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist performance in the Sweet Sixteen, only reinforced the professional consensus. Flagg had nothing left to prove in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). His early exit is a reflection of his elite talent, not a rejection of the Duke program or Coach Scheyer, who fully supported the move.

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The Immediate Impact on the Duke Blue Devils Program

Cooper Flagg’s departure creates a seismic shift in the Duke Blue Devils’ roster for the 2025-2026 season. Coach Jon Scheyer now faces the challenging task of rebuilding the team's core identity without its superstar anchor. The immediate focus has turned to the transfer portal and the incoming freshman class to maintain Duke's perennial status as a championship contender.

The loss of Flagg’s scoring, rebounding, and defensive presence is immense. His versatility allowed Scheyer to run a complex, modern offense, and his absence will require a complete retooling of the frontcourt. The team is now aggressively pursuing key targets in the transfer portal to secure experienced talent that can contribute immediately, aiming to replace the production of a player who was essentially the engine of the team.

While the one-and-done era is a reality for elite college programs, the sheer dominance of Flagg’s single season will leave a lasting legacy. He delivered on the hype, adding another chapter to Duke's history of elite, short-term talent, a path previously walked by legends like Jay Williams and Zion Williamson. For the Blue Devils, the future is now about adaptation, but for Cooper Flagg, the future is the 2025 NBA Draft, where he is expected to hear his name called first by the team that wins the NBA Draft Lottery, with the Dallas Mavericks being a popular mock draft selection.

The question of "is Cooper Flagg leaving Duke" is no longer a rumor—it's history. His next stop is the NBA, and the basketball world is waiting to see if his historic college career translates into generational professional stardom.