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Duke freshman sensation Cooper Flagg suffered a left ankle injury late in the first half of the No. 1 Blue Devils’ ACC tournament matchup against Georgia Tech on Thursday. The team has ruled him out for the remainder of the game.
Flagg, who was seen being taken to the X-ray room in a wheelchair at halftime, later returned to the bench under his own power early in the second half. Despite walking without assistance, Duke confirmed that the star forward would not return to action.
The injury occurred when Flagg, the ACC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, went up for an uncontested rebound and landed awkwardly on the foot of Georgia Tech’s Darrion Sutton. He immediately fell to the floor in visible pain. Struggling to make his way back to the bench, Flagg eventually sat down and, in frustration, pounded a chair with his right fist before being helped to the locker room by teammates for further evaluation.
Season of setbacks?
Duke faced further setbacks as Maliq Brown also suffered a shoulder injury in the first half, with the team ruling him out as well. These injuries come at a critical moment for the Blue Devils, who entered the game as the projected No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. The team had recently claimed the top spot in the rankings following an eight-game winning streak.
Flagg has been a key player for the Blue Devils this season, averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during the regular season. His absence could be a significant blow to Duke’s hopes in the ACC tournament and beyond, depending on the severity of his injury.
Duke fans and college basketball enthusiasts will be eagerly awaiting further updates on Flagg’s condition as the team prepares for the upcoming NCAA tournament.
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