It’s highly unlikely to happen, but this certainly isn’t what any of the NBA bottom-feeders want to hear.

Cooper Flagg, Duke’s star freshman, who is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, is teasing staying in school for a second season.

“S–t,” Flagg told The Athletic in an interview this week. “I want to come back next year.”

As of Saturday, Flagg had been scoring an average of 19.8 points, grabbing 7.6 rebounds, and dishing out 4.0 assists per game for the Blue Devils, who are currently ranked third. This performance has made Flagg’s freshman season stand out as one of the best in recent memory.

He was the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class after starring at the famed Montverde Academy.

According to Flagg, despite his outstanding stats and accomplishments, he still perceives himself as just a kid. He expressed that college life is all he has ever experienced, so to him, it feels normal. Flagg mentioned that he is unsure about how it feels for high school kids who are earning significant amounts of money, as he can only relate to his current situation.

“I always wanted to play in college at the highest level and compete for a national championship. That sort of thing is what I dreamed about.”

Even with his lucrative NIL earnings — he has a $4.3 million NIL valuation, according to On3 — it’s hard to believe Flagg would bypass the draft.

Listed at 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds, the 18-year-old Flagg possesses the build and two-way skillset that NBA executives often crave.

He is the heavy favorite to win the Wooden Award as the best player in the nation.