Duke's Cooper Flagg is Reportedly Exploring '$400 million' Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jordan Sigler | Last updated Feb 18, 2025 4:02 PM ET

Cooper Flagg is having an incredible season as a freshman at Duke. The star freshman is averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. However, the 18-year-old out of Newport, Maine, told The Athletic that he's open to returning to Duke for another season in the hopes of winning an NCAA championship.

Per Colin Salao of Front Office Sports, Flagg would be postponing, and thus jeopardizing, a future contract in the ballpark of $400 million.

"By staying another year in college, Flagg would delay his second NBA contract by a year," Salao wrote. "A rookie deal lasts four years, so if Flagg were to opt into the 2025 draft, he’d start his second contract by the 2029–2030 season.

"The rookie scale maximum can be worth 30% of a team’s salary cap, and assuming a 10% maximum cap increase (the 2024–2025 salary cap is $140.59 million), Flagg’s second contract could be worth as much as $398.5 million over five years—or nearly $80 million per year."

Duke superstar Cooper Flagg says he wants to return to Duke next season.

The projected No. 1 NBA draft pick could push back what could be a gigantic $400 million payday.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 18, 2025

Salao points out that part of the gamble in waiting a season is that Flagg could suffer an injury that prohibits a maximum contract.

"It’s likely that Flagg will still receive bigger contracts throughout his career, as long he lives up to the hype," Salao wrote. "But delaying life-changing, guaranteed money by one year is hard to justify, especially considering injury risk."

Whatever Flagg would earn in NIL funds next year wouldn't come close to what he stands to lose in an unfortunate injury.

Per On3, Flagg's NIL valuation stands at $4.3 million.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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