Duke Blue Devils freshman Cooper Flagg is one of the hottest NBA prospects in the NCAA today, projected to be the first-overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. There is a lot of hype surrounding Flagg right now, but the young Blue Devils star might decide to continue playing for his college team.
NBA legend Paul Pierce shared his take on Flagg’s thoughts about playing his sophomore season with the Blue Devils. The former Boston Celtics star feels that Flagg should strike while the iron is hot and ready himself to go pro as soon as March Madness is over, saying that the freshman might not get the same opportunity he has now in the NBA ever again.
“Once the NCAA tournament is over, we gonna check out a class, and we gonna get these workouts in and get ready for the draft,” Pierce said about Cooper Flagg. “You worked real hard your whole life, and now it’s here. So let’s take advantage of that. There’s no need to be on campus, I don’t need no other distractions.”
Should Cooper Flagg even entertain returning to Durham for his sophomore season? 🤔
As the consensus first overall pick, Duke has done all it can for Cooper Flagg. It’s time to turn that NBA dream into reality. pic.twitter.com/TzVubea5sa
— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) March 17, 2025
Flagg is currently averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Gilbert Arenas thinks Cooper Flagg should be drafted by the Charlotte Hornets
There are three months left before the 2025 NBA Draft, and many are speculating that Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg will be the first-overall pick. Flagg is an all-around talent who could fit in any team in the NBA should they decide to draft him.
The Utah Jazz apparently has the right to the first-overall draft pick, but former NBA player Gilbert Arenas believes that the Duke freshman would be a perfect fit for the Charlotte Hornets.
“For (Cooper Flagg’s) success, probably (Charlotte) Hornets,” Arenas said on his “Gil’s Arena” podcast when discussing which team Flagg should go to in the NBA. “Because you have a point guard, you have a shooting guard. You don’t have to be great at the beginning. … Cooper Flagg, he defends. He’s like an old school white boy. They out there playing hard as a motherf***er.”
The Hornets’ core players currently consist of LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and Brandon Miller. Flagg’s addition to that lineup could reinforce the talent the Hornets already have coming into the next season.
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Dan has been active in sports since 2016 and has worked behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for basketball, volleyball, and other sports. At a time, Dan has also been working as a sports commentator for CBA Pilipinas. During the pandemic, he has also been actively writing betting articles for CashBet and BetNow.
