Jon Scheyer adamant about Duke basketball trainers preventing Cooper Flagg injury

The Blue Devil trainers are receiving orders from the head coach to keep his star on the court
Army v Duke; Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer talks with forward Cooper Flagg
Army v Duke; Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer talks with forward Cooper Flagg / Grant Halverson/GettyImages
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There hasn't been much to complain or worry about with the Duke basketball team through two games this season but one area for concern is the cramping that has hindered Cooper Flagg.

Flagg has suffered cramping in each game against Maine and Army and head coach Jon Scheyer has seen enough of it.

“I’m not happy about it for him," Scheyer said following the 100-58 victory that pushed the Blue Devils to 2-0 on the year. "We have to help him, and we will. We can’t have that happening. Bottom line."

Flagg was dominant in the first half against the Black Knights with 13 points and 11 rebounds but due to the cramps and the score, didn't see much action in the second half.

"That first half, he was just really controlling the whole game with his rebounding, his passing, his playmaking, his scoring. He was assertive shooting the ball. So, that can’t happen. I’m not happy with it, and we’re going to fix that."

Scheyer said that he would be meeting with the training staff on Friday night on how to ensure the issue does not happen again.

Duke had a similar problem three years ago with Paolo Banchero and the amount of weight he would lose during a game due to his sweating, which would result in major cramping. The two most notable games that Banchero missed due to the cramps was in the season opener against Kentucky and three weeks into the season against Gonzaga.

The Blue Devil sports medicine team created a special drink for him to have during games to keep him hydrated and prevent cramping during games.

"It's a new thing for me," Cooper Flagg explained after the game. "I haven't really dealt with that in the past."

"We got a plan in place. We're going to follow it and figure it out."

No. 7 Duke (2-0) will play No. 23 Kentucky (2-0) in the State Farm Champions Classic in Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday night (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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