Cooper Flagg Talks Mom's Advice that Led Him to Enter Duke Early, Pursue 2025 Draft

Cooper Flagg decided to reclassify in high school and join Duke a year early last season, and now he's likely on his way to being the youngest No. 1 pick since LeBron James.

Ahead of the draft, he shared the advice from his mother that led to him reclassifying.

“A quote my mom likes to say a lot: ‘If you’re the best player in the gym, then you need to find a new gym,'" Flagg told reporters on Tuesday. "So for me it was thinking about what I had left to do in high school and how much that would push me to become a better player... I felt like it was time for me to get to a new environment and push myself to a higher level."

Flagg had to make a similar decision this year after his freshman season with the Blue Devils. He could have stayed in college for another season, pursuing a championship while reaping the benefits of NIL, but he once again followed his mom's advice. He was, most nights, the best player in the gym, so now he'll head to a gym that features the best players in the world.

Flagg, who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists at Duke, is the top player on Bleacher Report's latest big board and is projected to go to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 1 by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

He likely won't be the best player in the gym early on in his career, but it won't be surprising if he reaches that level eventually.