The ACC quarterfinals delivered plenty of drama. Duke’s worst nightmare came true–Cooper Flagg sprained his ankle in the first game of the postseason. Talk about bad luck. Coach Jon Scheyer doesn’t seem optimistic about Flagg returning for the rest of the ACC tournament either. “It’s not worth it. It just isn’t.” Scheyer’s caution reflects a strategy prioritizing the NCAA Tournament, starting March 18. But there’s more. Another shocking piece of intel coming in from the courtside suggests that Flagg might have ended up making his injury worse.
Rob Dauster of the Field of 68: After Dark podcast was at the Spectrum Center for Duke’s quarterfinal game against Georgia Tech. He witnessed Flagg twist his ankle while grabbing a rebound and get helped to the locker room in a wheelchair for tests before returning to sit on the bench in the second half. Dauster saw the whole event unfold in front of his eyes –and had some shocking news to share.
On the podcast, Dauster says, “I saw him afterwards out underneath some of the stands when he walking by later and he didn’t have a boot on, it wasn’t wrapped in ice, which is kinda crazy to me, Cooper what are you doing? like stop walking around without your shoes on and ice on your ankle”
In the world of sports, sports science has become a very important aspect of athlete recovery. Everyone knows that applying ice reduces blood flow to the injured area, helping to prevent further damage while easing pain and swelling. With Flagg coming out without a protective boot or ice around his ankle, it suggests he may have avoided a serious injury. This is what Dauster adds later on as well, saying, “It didn’t look like something where this was the kind of catastrophic injury that we saw at first.” He continues saying, “I don’t think his status for NCAA tournament stuff is in jeopardy, that’s not me reporting anything , that’s just me reading through the lines.”
Jan 25, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) handles the ball against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the second half at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
With Dauster giving Duke fans some encouraging news, the big question remains–what does Coach Scheyer think about it? And more importantly, who will step up to replace the Maine Event for Duke in the ACC Tournament? Flagg, the ACC Player and Rookie of the Year crowned March 11, leaves a void with his 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Let’s take a look!
Cooper Flagg injury update as injuries keep mounting for Duke
With the ACC tournament semifinals set for tonight against arch-rival North Carolina, Jon Scheyer doesn’t expect Flagg to play. In the post-game press conference, Scheyer made it clear about the star’s availability for the big matchup. His comments came hours after Flagg’s X-rays returned negative
“It’s not about being ready to go tomorrow. That’s not the most important thing for us. We’ve got to see if we can get him right for this run that we can make in the (NCAA) Tournament,” Scheyer said. “I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go tomorrow. He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won’t be able to go anyway. But I think it’s a real long shot.” Scheyer’s stance aligns with medical timelines—a 1-2 week recovery means Flagg could target Duke’s NCAA opener on March 21, seven days from now, per Web MD’s sprain guidelines.
Just when things couldn’t get worse for Duke, forward Maliq Brown–arguably their most versatile defender, re-aggravated his dislocated left shoulder minutes before Flagg’s injury, adding to the team’s growing list of setbacks. And it looks like the forward will miss some time as well. “He’s going to miss time no matter what. I mean, is there a chance at some point? I would hope so. But my main concern is just seeing him in such pain. I would hate to speculate without really knowing,” said a concerned Jon Scheyer when talking about the forward’s injury. Brown’s 1.6 steals per game and role in Duke’s fourth-ranked KenPom defense (90.9 points per 100 possessions) make his loss acute, especially after a February 17 dislocation at Virginia sidelined him until March 8.
With Flagg and Brown out, freshman big Patrick Ngongba and graduate wing Mason Gillis stepped up for Duke in the second half. Ngongba added 6 points and 4 rebounds, while Gillis chipped in 8 points off the bench, complementing Knueppel’s 28 and Isaiah Evans’ 14—including four threes—in the Georgia Tech win. They’re expected to carry the load in the upcoming game against North Carolina and possibly the tournament finals if Duke makes it. Duke’s depth, ranked fifth nationally in bench minutes (38.2% per KenPom), could be their edge, but the absence of Flagg’s two-way dominance and Brown’s defensive tenacity tests Scheyer’s system ahead of a March 16 Selection Sunday projection as the East Region’s No. 1 seed. Stay tuned for more updates!
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