Duke‘s Final Four exit at the hands of Houston may have ended their national title hopes, but it’s sparked a new conversation, one that could shape the future of college basketball’s brightest star.

Cooper Flagg, the consensus No. 1 prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft, now finds himself at the center of a growing online campaign: fans pleading for him to come back and finish what he started.

Saturday night’s 70-67 loss was a gut punch for the Blue Devils, who led by six points with under a minute to play before Houston stormed back with a game-winning run.

Flagg, the freshman phenom, did everything he could to keep Duke alive-dropping 27 points, grabbing seven rebounds, and dishing out four assists-but it wasn’t enough to stop the Cougars from sealing a trip to the title game.

In the aftermath, Flagg reflected on the year that was: “Didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but still an incredible year.”

Despite the heartbreak, the 18-year-old has little left to prove in the college ranks.

Flagg led Duke in points, rebounds, and assists during the season, averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, and collected multiple national honors, including the Wooden Award, AP National Player of the Year, and NABC National Player of the Year.