Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, also known as the world’s most famous arena, the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils routed the Illinois Fighting Illini 110-67. The 43-point loss in front of a raucous sellout crowd was the biggest loss in Illini school history.
After such an ugly loss one would think that the Illini and head coach Brad Underwood would want Blue Devils star and projected No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft Cooper Flagg to turn pro.
Brad Underwood Suggests Cooper Flagg Stay In College One More Season
Not so fast. In fact, Underwood, who’s led the Illini (17-11) this season to at least 20 wins in each of his previous five seasons, including a No. 1 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, is encouraging the phenom to stay in school for at least one more season.
After watching Flagg finish with a solid 16 points, 7 rebounds and five assists, Underwood had nothing but high praise for him.
“I hope he stays in school, ” Underwood said. “I mean, if I’m the NCAA or the ACC, I’m figuring out an NIL deal to keep that dude in school, because he’s everything that’s right about our game,”
He continued: “Somebody threw out some story about it. I hope he stays. Man, he’d be great. He could probably make more here than he could in the NBA. He’s also got really good people around him, and that helps.”
Underwood Tells Flagg To Find Himself A Girl
Speaking with reporters following his team’s ugly blowout loss, Underwood also expressed hopes that Flagg would enjoy his youth before leaping into the high demands of NBA life.
“He’s 18. He’s just an 18-year-old kid. Go have fun. Chase a girl. I mean, just enjoy the opportunity,” Underwood explained. “I get the whole thing. That’s slotted, he’s going to make what he is. And I’m speaking just completely randomly. I don’t know the kid or the family. But, gosh darn, man, I’m excited about college basketball.”
“I don’t want to play against him anymore,” Underwood said. “But I just think he’s really good, and now we have NIL and, man, he could really build a heck of a brand I would think.”
Nothing but high praise about Flagg, and he also said the 6-foot-9 freakishly athletic wing is the best player in the country, “and it’s not even close.”
That’s what many think, and thus far his play as a true freshman hasn’t changed most folks’ view or opinion of Flagg as a player.
Would It Benefit Flagg To Return To Durham?
Flagg is no stranger to NIL money and deals; he received them at Monteverde Academy and now at Duke. In fact, he could stand to make more if he chooses to stay another year at Duke. That’s because the rookie deals are set and etched in stone. NIL deals have no limit as to how many one can have.
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With 2026 No. 3-ranked Blue Devils signee Cameron Boozer heading to Durham next season, fans want an opportunity to see those two in action together. That will depend solely on Flagg and what he opts to do as the overwhelming favorite to go first overall.
