Cooper Flagg, the 6-foot-9 forward on Duke University’s men’s basketball team, has been crucial in the Blue Devils’ success in the 2024-2025 season. The first-year scored 42 points against Notre Dame in January, setting a new Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) first-year record for points in a single game, and has consistently been a leading scorer on his team. He also excels in defense, rebounding and assisting his teammates.
The NBA has a one-and-done rule, stating that if players have at least one year of college under their belt or are at least 19 years old, they’re eligible to enter the NBA draft. At the end of his first basketball season at Duke, the 18-year-old Flagg declared for the draft. Due to his impressive performance which contributed to the Blue Devils’ 35-4 record during the 2024-2025 season, his status as a one-and-done act has been debated among basketball fans. Many are wondering why this trend is becoming more common and are comparing one-and-done players to those who played college basketball for longer before joining the NBA or players who went straight to the NBA after high school before the one-and-done rule was created in 2005.
The one-and-done rule has become increasingly popular, as people see it as the most sensible option for the NBA, college basketball and the players, although some could argue that the players get the short end of the stick. The rule boosts college basketball viewership because higher-level players have to play for at least one year. The NBA is also profiting more because after a year of playing college basketball, players acquire large endorsements. It’s also an investment for the NBA: They get to see players compete at a high level before drafting them, so there is a better chance the players they choose will be as successful as they thought. Many could think the one-and-done rule is a valid path for players. They get a chance to mature more in college, find out what they might be interested in studying in addition to basketball and get a feel for more high-stakes competition. However, others could argue that the one-and-done rule might force players who have no interest in pursuing higher education to go to college, or on the other side, it pressures players to leave college early, suppressing their growth.
Carmelo Anthony, who played for the Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers, was drafted for the Nuggets after playing one season at Syracuse University, where he won a national championship. This was before the one-and-done rule was implemented, so Anthony saw how he could benefit by spending some time in college first and he wasn’t forced to be there for a year. He went on to do exceedingly well. Anthony was a 10-time NBA All-Star. In 2013, he was named scoring champion and ranks tenth in all-time NBA scoring.
Anthony Davis was drafted to the New Orleans Hornets also after one season of college basketball. Davis played for the University of Kentucky before being drafted by the Hornets. As of February 2025, he now plays for the Dallas Mavericks after being traded by the Lakers. If the one-and-done rule had not been established, Davis may never have gone to Kentucky where he led them to the national championship, while earning most outstanding player honors at the Final Four. Davis helped the NCAA and NBA, contributing to the $10.8 billion price tag for the NCAA tournament. Davis has continued to be phenomenal throughout his career. He had ten NBA All-Star selections, was named an All-Star Game MVP, was awarded multiple All-NBA and All-Defensive Team selections and won Olympic Gold medals and an NBA Cup.
Of course, there are also many successful basketball players who did not partake in the one-and-done trend. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard and Kevin Garnett all went to the NBA directly out of high school (this was, of course, before the one-and-done rule was established). Then there are players like Steve Nash, David West, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday and many others, who spent more than one year in college before going to the NBA.
James, Bryant, Howard and Garnett’s great success is not attributed to not going to college, and a player spending more time or no time in college is not always indicative of how good a player will become. At the end of the day, professional basketball players’ careers all follow their own timelines. Whether a player matures drastically as a competitor in high school, college or early into their professional career is unique to them. It appears the one-and-done deal has a more significant effect on the NBA and NCAA, boosting profits and viewership. However, the one-and-done rule is relatively new and it will be interesting to see if it creates a new perspective on college basketball, especially with the attention it is gaining after Flagg’s exceptional season.
