Cooper Flagg is unanimously projected as the top overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, but Quentin Richardson doesn’t know if the freshman phenom should leave the college game after just one year. Considering the explosion of NIL money in college basketball, Flagg should have no issues making similar money to what a rookie contract would be.
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Now a college basketball analyst, Richardson advised Flagg to stay at Duke another year to avoid getting drafted by the Washington Wizards, who currently possess the league’s worst record.
“If I’m Cooper Flagg, I’m not sure I want to go to the Washington Wizards,” Richardson said. “That’s what’s waiting on him and that’s purgatory.”
Considering the current landscape of college basketball, Richardson confidently said he’d stay in college another year if he were in Flagg’s shoes.
The 13-year NBA veteran stressed that the money he could make at Duke would match or exceed what he’d make during his first year with Washington, so he thinks staying would be the star forward’s best course of action.
Finances won’t be an issue for Flagg, regardless of his decision. Staying another year at Duke might help him avoid landing with a hopeless franchise this year, but there’s no guarantee the Wizards won’t be right back in the same place next year.
With that in mind, Flagg could still decide to make the jump to the pros.
Staying at Duke poses a big risk for Cooper Flagg
The 18-year-old would have no problem dominating in the NCAA for another season, but staying in college does come with risks. Flagg could have an underwhelming sophomore season, which would hurt his draft stock for 2026.
An even more pressing concern is the risk of injury, as a freak accident could permanently stifle Flagg’s professional outlook. Injuries happen all the time in the NBA, but those contracts are often fully guaranteed for such instances. Flagg would be left with little to fall back on if he suffered a serious injury at Duke.
Considering no one knows who will actually receive the first pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, Flagg shouldn’t base his decision on whether he wants to move to Washington or not. There are several other realistic landing spots for him that don’t appear nearly as dire.
Only time will tell whether Flagg will make the jump to the league this year or spend another season in college. But the risk of injury or underperforming in a potential sophomore campaign could be enough to convince the Maine native to take his talents to the pros.
