March Madness has arrived, and all eyes are on the potential NBA Draft prospects. The projected No. 1 pick for the 2025 draft is Cooper Flagg, Duke’s current best player. Flagg has earned a firestorm of support since showcasing his skills for the Blue Devils.
With the NCAA tournament looming, many are wondering what the future holds for Flagg. All signs point to him declaring for the draft, and one analyst feels like the NBA should be hoping Flagg and Duke win the NCAA title.
Colin Cowherd Thinks Everyone Should Hope For Duke To Win NCAA Title
On his show The Herd, analyst Colin Cowherd offered his take on Cooper Flagg and Duke’s current NCAA run. According to Cowherd, the NBA should hope that Flagg and Duke win the title, as it will only add to Flagg’s popularity ahead of the draft.
.@ColinCowherd is pulling for Cooper Flagg and @DukeMBB this March… and says the NBA should be doing the same 👀pic.twitter.com/DVoZEMd6s5
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) March 21, 2025
“So I probably made a big mistake yesterday. I picked Arizona to get into the Final Four. I probably should have picked Duke. Duke and Cooper Flagg are consensus title favorites, they have three NBA players.”
“The NBA should be crossing their fingers that Duke and Cooper Flagg win the title. He’s a huge name and Duke is the biggest brand in college basketball. He could be Zion Williamson without all of the red flags.”
“Nobody cares about the G League, it feels like the NBA for the last decade has been fighting college basketball. I think Cooper Flagg has a chance to end up in Chicago and give us sort of a Magic Johnson, Larry Bird feel.”
“Hopefully the NBA is crossing its fingers because this is what the league needs. I mean, look at the impact that Jimmy Butler and Luka had going to big brands.”
“If Chicago could get a Cooper Flagg from Duke, then you have Boston, New York, San Francisco, LA, Dallas, plus Chicago having really good high-end teams. I am rooting for Duke and Cooper Flagg.”
While Cowherd might be putting way too hefty of an expectation on Flagg’s potential NBA impact, any first-round pick ending up in a big market is good for the league.
Will Cooper Flagg Go No. 1 In The Draft?
Cooper Flagg is the projected top pick in the NBA Draft and it sounds doubtful that teams would take anyone over him. Flagg, who is averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on the season, just had a solid performance against the Mount St. Mary’s team in the first round.
Some analysts have remarked that Flagg could become the male version of Caitlin Clark if he returns to Duke, but the allure of the NBA might win out here. Flagg is building his brand at the college level, but winning a title would catapult him to the next level right before the draft.