With Selection Sunday just three days away, the status of one of college basketball’s biggest stars, Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, is now in question. Flagg suffered a sprained left ankle during the Blue Devils' ACC tournament quarterfinal victory against Georgia Tech on Thursday night at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The injury occurred with just 2:46 left in the game when Duke was trailing by nine points. Flagg jumped to secure a rebound after a missed three-pointer from Georgia Tech. Unfortunately, upon landing, he twisted his left ankle at an awkward angle, causing him to collapse on the court and immediately clutch his ankle in pain.
Teammates and the training staff rushed to Flagg’s side as he lay on the court. Although he managed to stand up, he struggled to put weight on his left leg and walked with a noticeable limp. After receiving initial care on the sidelines, Flagg, visibly in pain, was assisted back to the team's locker room by two teammates. ESPN cameras later captured him in a wheelchair heading for an x-ray examination.
Following the x-ray examination, Flagg was seen walking independently without a limp, although he was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Duke's head coach, Jon Scheyer, provided an update post-game, revealing that the x-rays were negative and confirming that Flagg had sustained a sprain. "We just have to understand there’s going to be swelling and see how he recovers from there," Scheyer stated. He also noted that another player, Brown, had re-dislocated his shoulder, contributing to the team’s challenges during the game.
Despite the loss of their star player, the Blue Devils displayed resilience, narrowing their deficit as they entered halftime trailing Georgia Tech 31-26. They built on this momentum in the second half, scoring 12 unanswered points to take a seven-point lead, ultimately securing a 78-70 victory. The Blue Devils have been impressive throughout the season, winning 17 of their 20 ACC regular-season games by at least 10 points and entered this game as a significant 13½-point favorite.
As the team prepares for the upcoming tournament, all eyes will be on Cooper Flagg's recovery and whether he can return to the court in time for Duke's next challenge. His presence will be crucial as the Blue Devils aim to make a deep run in the postseason.
