Duke coach Jon Scheyer opens door to jersey retirement talks after Cooper Flagg’s standout year 

Former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg was selected No. 1 by the Dallas Mavericks during the 2025 NBA draft after a stellar college basketball season. Flagg led the Blue Devils to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament and was named the National Player of the Year for his efforts.

While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Duke coach Jon Scheyer spoke about the possibility of Flagg's No. 2 jersey being retired in the future.

"Even if you had your jersey retired, everything would be published," Scheyer said during a press conference on Tuesday via ABC11. (Timestamp: 5:15). "At the same time, it gives somebody an opportunity to win every National Player of the Year award, which Cooper did. Other guys have, by the way, too. I mean, Zion did the same thing. Elton Brand.

"It's something we've looked about briefly, but at some point we have to take a deeper look because you want to make sure you're honoring guys the right way when they come here. It's clearly a different environment, clearly different circumstances. That's something we're going to have to look at," he added.

Cooper Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks for the Blue Devils last season and was the clear contender for all the major National Player of the Year awards all season.

Jon Scheyer reveals importance of Cooper Flagg's recruitment

Cooper Flagg was one of the most hyped prospects in the country due to his performances in the Nike EYBL circuit before the Duke Blue Devils snagged his commitment in October 2023. He later reclassified to the class of 2024.

During an interview on "SiriusXM," Jon Scheyer revealed the importance of winning the race to recruit Flagg after being informed of his abilities by Boston Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine.

"I told [Scalabrine] he gave me the most important text of my life," Scheyer said. "And then we spoke on the phone. We're fortunate to get these calls a good amount about a kid and this and that. There's a part of you that's like, 'Alright, how good is this kid from Maine really? Like, come on.' … And then you see him play, and it's like, 'Alright, I know exactly what Scal was talking about.'"

During his recruitment, Flagg narrowed his choices between the Blue Devils and the then-reigning national champions, coach Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies, before ultimately choosing to play under Jon Scheyer in Durham. The star forward was a hit at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to both the ACC regular-season and tournament championships.