Right now, there are plenty of relieved Duke basketball fans out there, as a crisis was averted with freshman phenom Cooper Flagg. As soon as the youngster went down with what looked to be a serious ankle injury, people were fearing the worst. Would he be lost for the season?
Thankfully that won't be the case, as Jon Scheyer wasted no time after the final whistle in saying Flagg suffered a sprained ankle and the x-rays came back negative. Thank goodness for that, as the Blue Devils are in a prime spot to push for a National Championship.
That's why Scheyer has a pretty simple call to make this week. While Duke has moved on to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, there's no reason we should see Flagg in action for the rest of the week. Sit him and focus on the task at hand: making noise in the big dance and not just in Charlotte.
They’ll just keep an eye on the swelling
— Nick Carboni (@NickCarboniWCNC) March 13, 2025
Duke has no choice but to sit Cooper Flagg for the rest of the ACC Tournament
People are urging Scheyer to make this decision and quite frankly, it shouldn't be that difficult for him. Flagg was just named the ACC Player of the Year and he's been one of the main storylines for college basketball this season. Whenever he hits the hardwood, everyone is ready to watch.
As great as it would be to see him try and help the Blue Devils win the conference title this weekend, this team is still loaded with talent and they could go on to get the job done without him. Giving Flagg extra rest for that bum ankle has to be the top priority.
For a moment when Flagg was down on the hardwood, a lot of us truly thought that potentially a fracture was suffered and maybe his March Madness would be over before it could get started. He's been given new life and if all goes to plan, he may not need to miss any time in the NCAA Tourney. Duke fans everywhere will be keeping their fingers crossed that proves to be the case.