12 hours Ago By TMZ Staff
If Larry Johnson were in Cooper Flagg 's giant Blue Devil sneakers, he tells TMZ Sports he'd forgo the NBA for one more year ...
and stay put in Durham. Flagg, of course, is the prohibitive favorite to go at the top of this year's draft ..
. but Johnson made it clear to us he'd like to see the 18-year-old hang around Duke a bit longer. The College Basketball Hall of Famer said the extra year of ACC ball would help Flagg tremendously in the long run .
.. even though he knows it'd be difficult for the teenager to postpone his pro career another 12 or so months.
"It's tough to turn down that money when you know you're going to be No. 1," he said, but "to go back to Duke and spend one more year, just get them skills together a little bit more -- I think that would be a pretty good idea." Flagg's had a heck of a season so far with the Blue Devils -- he and his teammates are playing for a spot in the national championship later Saturday -- and almost every NBA draft pundit believes he's on the precipice of a huge rookie season.
But Johnson knows a thing or two about staying a while longer in college -- he opted for one more season at UNLV before becoming the 1991 No. 1 overall pick, and he says he doesn't regret it at all. "Heck no," he told us.
Flagg won't have long to make a decision ...
the draft kicks off in late June!.
