How much money will Cooper Flagg lose if he foregoes NBA Draft?

Cooper Flagg is the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he chooses to go pro. However, the 18-year-old has heavily teased his intention to return to Duke for a sophomore season.

In February, Flagg told The Athletic that he wishes "to come back next year" and has yet to make a call on the NBA Draft. Then, on March 3, he again told ESPN that he's "living in the present" after being serenaded with "one more year!" chants from Duke fans in Durham.

So, what will be the financial ramifications of Flagg foregoing the NBA Draft? According to an ESPN report, Flagg stands to lose up to $125M by returning to college. 

"ESPN's Bobby Marks projects 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 contracts."

Marks highlighted that players "with 10 years of service" are eligible for a supermax deal, but Flagg won't qualify for the contract at the back end of his career if he chooses to delay his entry into the NBA.

The ESPN report added that Flagg's massive earnings as a NIL athlete may soften his financial blow and force him to contemplate the move. In previous years, top-ranked players could not make millions of dollars without going pro. 

Over the weekend, Flagg made a triumphant return from an ankle injury in Duke's wins over Mount St. Mary's and Baylor in the NCAA Tournament. The superstar forward missed Duke's run to the conference title after injuring his ankle in the ACC tournament.