A former NBA standout had some surprising career advice for Duke star Cooper Flagg on Saturday.
In an appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay,” NBA veteran Quentin Richardson suggested that Flagg should seriously consider staying at Duke for his sophomore season, despite Flagg being a virtual lock to go first overall in the NBA Draft.
Richardson argued that Flagg should be reluctant to jump to the NBA right away because he might get drafted by the Washington Wizards, which Richardson compared to “purgatory.”
“If I’m Cooper Flagg, I’m not sure I want to go to the Washington Wizards,” Richardson said. “That’s waiting on him, and that’s purgatory.
“I would stay. With the landscape what it is now and the money he can make, knowing that I’m looking at going to Washington? Obviously, I would have to consult with my family and my team and check all of those things out, but I’m not sure that would be the worst thing for him.”
Should Cooper Flagg run it back at Duke rather than going to the NBA after his freshman season?
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) March 8, 2025
Former NBA player @QRich shared that if he were Flagg, he "would stay" at Duke 👀 pic.twitter.com/swkobmjrzw
There are definitely some flaws with Richardson’s reasoning. Even if the Wizards did finish with the NBA’s worst record, they only have a 14 percent chance of landing the top pick. Flagg would have an equal chance of going to someone like the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, or New Orleans Pelicans.
Beyond that, even if Flagg returned for his sophomore season at Duke, it hardly guarantees a better outcome. By waiting until 2026, Flagg could just be lining himself up to land with a team that is in just as bad a situation as the Wizards are right now.
Flagg could make something close to $13 million next season if he is picked first overall. Even in the NIL era, that is more money than he could make at Duke, and he would also have the security of a multi-year deal in the NBA.
Going pro makes the most sense for Flagg from virtually any perspective. He has surprisingly admitted that he is tempted to come back to Duke for another season, but the common sense move would be to go pro, and that remains the most likely outcome.
Flagg has been every bit as good as Duke could have hoped he would be this season. Entering play Saturday, the freshman is averaging 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on the season.
