Mike Krzyzewski understands what a top NBA Draft pick looks like, and he advised Cooper Flagg on whether to stay with the Duke basketball program or go pro after his rookie year.
“He should do whatever he wants,” the Hall of Famer remarked during his SiriusXM radio broadcast this week. “My thing was, just be smart for you.”
Krzyzewski faced a similar scenario with Blue Devil phenom Zion Williamson, who indicated a desire to return to Duke following his freshman season but was advised to pursue the NBA because the opportunity was too excellent to pass up.
However, that was not during the NIL period, when athletes could earn millions of dollars while playing collegiate basketball, as Flagg is currently doing with the Blue Devils.
“You only get to do this once,” he added. “And you’re only going to get to do it for a certain amount of time.”
While the prospect of Cooper Flagg returning to Duke has sparked curiosity, the likelihood that he will stay in Durham is slim. Flagg just had one of the best regular seasons in Blue Devil history, is the clear ACC Player of the Year, the favorite to win National Player of the Year, and has been touted as the No. 1 overall choice in the 2025 NBA Draft since his decision to reclassify.
Assuming he shines in the NBA, as many analysts predict, he will be ready for a large second contract in the league, and staying in college merely delays that deal, regardless of his NIL package at Duke.
“You’re talking about generational wealth,” Krzyzewski stated. “Really good generational wealth if you do it the right way.”
Cooper Flagg will focus on capturing more championships for Duke basketball after the squad won the ACC regular season crown. The Blue Devils are the top seed in the ACC Tournament, and they will face either Virginia or Georgia Tech in the semifinals on Thursday (12:00 p.m. ET, ESPN).
