Rumors have been swirling recently about whether there's a legitimate chance that Duke basketball star and projected number one NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg could shockingly decide to take his talents back to school for another year. Flagg has made comments throughout the year indicating that his mind is not fully made up on what he will do, but that hasn't stopped NBA teams from trying to get themselves in position to secure the number one overall pick just in case.
Recently, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN cited a report from NBA insider Bobby Marks, stating that “Flagg returning to Duke could cost him, based on estimated cap numbers, $75 million to $125 million in potential salary on the backend of his NBA career since he would delay the start of his service clock for his second and third pro contract.”
They also noted that “that potential financial loss and the possibility of a career-ending injury make for a risky proposition for a second season in college.”
A big decision for Cooper Flagg
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) speaks to the media after the game against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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Cooper Flagg is on the short list of contenders for the Wooden Award this year for his contributions to the Duke basketball program, turning himself into one of the best freshmen in recent college basketball history.
Flagg has been projected as a potential number one overall NBA Draft pick dating back to his high school days in Maine, and that hype has only continued to build during his dominant season with the Blue Devils.
As ESPN noted in their report, Flagg would be leaving potentially up to a hundred million dollars in future career earnings on the table with a return to Duke, not to mention the potential for a career-altering injury that could lower his draft stock.
However, at the present moment, Flagg's attention appears to be on the Blue Devils' current March Madness run, which continues on Sunday against Baylor.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Jackson Stone is a sports journalist for ClutchPoints with expertise in covering the NBA, NFL, and CAA Football. The Mercer University senior from Atlanta is on track to graduate with a BA in communications, and he has bylines at FanSided and USA Today Sports' Georgia athletics website.