The Duke men’s basketball team celebrated an impressive Cooper Flagg accomplishment on Wednesday, just days before the 2025 NBA draft, where he’s expected to go No. 1 overall to the Dallas Mavericks.

The presumptive No. 1 overall pick in next Thursday’s NBA draft graced the cover of the latest issue of Sports Illustrated, which details the former Duke star’s versatile two-way skillset that combines athleticism, elite basketball IQ and an extraordinary poise for an 18-year-old.

Cooper Flagg once seemed to float the idea of returning to Duke for a sophomore season instead of declaring for the NBA draft as soon as he was eligible. But the ideal scenario for him to return to Duke wasn't possible,