“S–t, I wanna come back next year.” Cooper Flagg set fire to the college basketball landscape with these words. The six-foot-nine freshman from Maine is having a standout year, and is a front-runner for NPOY honors. Not only that, analysts have him going at #1 in this year’s NBA draft. So why should he come back?

Well, according to ESPN, there are a few solid reasons. On the show Countdown to GameDay, analyst and ex-NBA player Quentin Richardson discussed the seemingly impossible scenario for Flagg. “If I’m Cooper Flagg, I’m not sure I wanna go to the Washington Wizards… That’s purgatory.”

The Washington Wizards have the worst record in the league as of now, and as a pure business decision? It makes sense to tank for the organization valued at over $4.1 billion. Flagg has been touted as one of the best prospects in college basketball history, and everyone wants a piece.

If he ends up making his way to Washington, he’d be a god-send for their viewership, jersey, and ticket sales. But according to Richardson, it might be a situation in which Flagg should think about staying.

When asked what he would do in Cooper Flagg’s shoes, Quentin Richardson dropped an absolute bombshell. “I would stay. With the landscape, what it is now, and the money he can make? Knowing that I’m looking at going to Washington?… I’m not sure that would be the worst thing for me.” With NIL deals peaking, turning student-athletes into millionaires, his words make sense!

However, it might be detrimental to Flagg’s career if he stays in college. The Maine Event reclassified into this draft class a year early so that he could get an early shot at the pros. So, to make staying worth it, there would have to be a strong reason behind it. Especially if Duke manages to win it all this year. Another interesting narrative that’s ongoing, however, is the NPOY race. Things are heating up, and Johni Broome might have just added fuel to the fire!

Johni Broome maintains mask of indifference in race between him and Cooper Flagg

We’ve seen award races going down to the wire in basketball. Think back to Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic in 2023, or Westbrook and Harden in 2017. When two genuinely great players give it all they’ve got, it tends to be a close match. That’s exactly what is happening between Cooper Flagg and Johni Broome. The star freshman, and the veteran tempered with experience.

To add fuel to the fire, both teams are at the top of the nation. Auburn edges out Duke for the number one spot, but Scheyer’s team isn’t far behind. Cooper Flagg has the star power behind him, but Johni Broome has been doing this for a long time. However, Auburn’s senior wing had a new level of confidence while talking about the race.

“My job is to win championships,” he said when asked about the National Player of the Year race. “I’ll just let everyone else make decisions about that.” The words, filled with confidence and indifference, might just push Cooper Flagg into another gear! Regardless of who wins the award, there are bigger things at play for both teams.

We can’t wait to see Duke and Auburn clash in the NCAA tournament. There are just too many narratives, too many storylines, for us to not be excited about their matchup. Flagg vs Broome, Scheyer vs Pearl, the fun just doesn’t stop. What do you think? What will happen when the two NCAA giants meet in March? Who will prevail? Let us know your thoughts.