We don’t see many high-ranked prospects return to college after their freshman years. The one-and-done approach is usually the way to go for players who seem NBA-bound.
However, even though he’s projected to be the first-overall pick, Duke star Cooper Flagg recently told The Athletic that he would love to return to college next year.
Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll do it, especially being the top dog in college basketball right now. But if he were to do so, Aaditya Krishnamurthy of Fadeaway World reports that he would be delaying a potential $400 million payout.
Staying in college could delay Cooper Flagg’s massive payday
“A standard NBA rookie deal lasts four years, with the players then having the choice to become restricted free agents. Should Cooper Flagg declare himself for the 2025 NBA Draft, his second contract will start from the 2029-30 NBA season,” wrote Krishnamurthy. “And if Flagg lives up to the hype, he could earn a huge contract extension.”
He then went on to detail the potential financial implications that could come with him getting a maximum contract extension. That means he could be pulling the brakes on a $400 million payday:
“The current NBA rules allow for players to sign a rookie scale extension, with the maximum going up to 30% of a team’s salary cap. According to Front Office Sports’ calculations, taking into consideration the annual 10% increase in the NBA’s salary cap, Flagg’s maximum rookie scale extension could be worth $398.5 million over five years, paying him about $80 million a season,” he added.
Of course, there are a lot of ‘ifs.’ First, Flagg would have to return to college, which seems incredibly unlikely. Then, he would have to play well enough and stay healthy to get that kind of deal.