Duke might have clinched a 78-70 victory against Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday, but the win came with a heavy price—Cooper Flagg’s injury stole the spotlight.
The freshman sensation twisted his left ankle late in the first half. While X-rays showed no fractures, head coach Jon Scheyer didn’t sound hopeful about his star player’s chances of bouncing back soon.
“He’s got an ankle sprain. The good news is the X-rays were clear,” Scheyer shared post-game. “But there’s swelling to deal with, and we’ll have to see how he heals up from here.”
When pressed about Flagg suiting up for the rest of the ACC Tournament, Scheyer was blunt: “It’s a long shot,” he said, adding, “and honestly, it’s not worth risking it.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for Duke.
At just 18, Flagg has been the heart and soul of the Blue Devils this season, topping the charts in points (19.4), rebounds (7.6), assists (4.2), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.3). His standout performances had ESPN’s Joe Lunardi pegging Duke as a possible No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.
Sure, Duke’s roster is stacked with talent, but finding someone to fill Flagg’s shoes? That’s a tall order.
With Flagg’s status up in the air, the road ahead looks rough for Duke.
The Blue Devils will have to battle through the ACC Tournament without their top dog, and if this injury lingers, it could throw a wrench in their March Madness dreams.
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