Jon Scheyer Makes His Opinion Extremely Clear on Cooper Flagg Returning to Duke Next Season

Jon Scheyer Makes His Opinion Extremely Clear on Cooper Flagg Returning to Duke Next Season

The main topic of conversation surrounding the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils over the last month has been their NCAA Tournament run and what they’ve been able to accomplish on their way to their first Final Four since 2022. Another debate that has surfaced is whether freshman sensation Cooper Flagg should consider returning to Duke for his sophomore season.

The discussion began when Flagg mentioned earlier this year that he wanted to come back to Durham for another season, but he was careful to use “want” instead of “would.” As the projected No. 1 overall pick in the eyes of many, it remains highly likely that Flagg will declare for the NBA draft once his freshman season concludes.

One key opinion that hasn’t been very public on the matter is Duke head coach Jon Scheyer’s. However, after their Elite Eight win, Scheyer appeared on the “Dan Patrick Show” on Monday morning and made his stance very clear on what Flagg should do.

“No,” Scheyer said when asked if he’s talked with Flagg about returning . “Although I can dream about that. I think that’s all it is in this case, I think it’s a dream. I think he’s got to take the next step in his life, be the top pick in the NBA Draft, and start his professional career.”

Flagg has led the Blue Devils’ roster this season in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and minutes played. He is averaging an impressive 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting 48.3% from the field, 37.4% from the three-point line, and 83.4% from the charity stripe.

All of this success has earned him ACC Player and Rookie of the Year honors, as well as National Player of the Year recognition from several outlets. However, despite these accolades, winning remains his top priority, and he has never been hesitant to credit his teammates for their contributions.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the guys sitting next to me and the guys in the locker room,” Flagg said. “All credit to them, the coaches for putting me in really good situations, spots on the court, giving me the ball in the right spots. And then just allowing me to play free off the ball, on the ball, whatever it was, just letting me be me. And just got to give all the credit to my teammates and coaches.”