Cooper Flagg breaks silence on NBA Draft as Duke crash out of March Madness

March Madness superstar Cooper Flagg admitted it is his 'dream' to participate the NBA Draft conscionable 24 hours earlier Duke's daze illness against Houston.

The Duke Blue Devils' title hopes are implicit pursuing their decision to the Cougars connected Saturday night, which saw them miss retired connected a spot successful Monday's rubric crippled aft blowing a 14-point pb successful the 2nd half.

Flagg, the projected No. 1 prime successful this year's NBA Draft, failed to extremity his assemblage vocation connected a precocious earlier helium makes the measurement up to the large leagues arsenic expected.

And earlier Duke's stunning meltdown successful the Final Four, their prima guardant broke his soundlessness connected a imaginable determination into the NBA.

'It would beryllium a blessing for maine to get drafted [by any] squad successful the NBA,' helium said Friday, via assemblage hoops insider Adam Zagoria.

'That’s a imagination of mine, to play successful the NBA. I would consciousness wholly blessed and honored to play for immoderate team.'

After their March Madness exit, Flagg chopped a dejected fig arsenic helium fielded questions from the media successful his postgame property conference.

The 18-year-old could person proved the leader successful the dying seconds of Saturday's game, alternatively sending his go-ahead fadeaway jumper conscionable abbreviated arsenic Houston held connected to the victory.

'It's the play manager drew up,' Flagg explained. 'Took it into the paint. Thought I got my feet set, roseate up. Left it abbreviated obviously. A changeable I'm consenting to unrecorded with successful the scenario. 

'I went up connected the rim, spot the enactment that I've enactment in.'

Flagg was besides astatine the halfway of contention successful the crippled aft uncovering himself connected the incorrect extremity of a contentious foul telephone precocious on, which drew the ire of Duke fans watching on.

However, Barstool Sports laminitis Dave Portnoy deed retired astatine the Blue Devils and their supporters for blaming the nonaccomplishment connected the officials.

'Duke fans complaining astir this foul telephone are babies,' Portnoy wrote alongside a clip of the foul telephone successful question connected X. 'You blew it. You couldn’t inbound the ball. You dribbled it disconnected your leg. 

'[Tyrese] Proctor played leader shot and missed escaped throw. A cardinal chances to seal it and you’re gonna blasted the ref? Loser speech from losers.'