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As you may know by now, projected first overall pick in the NBA Draft and National Player of the Year favorite Cooper Flagg was injured in No. 1 Duke's last game just days before NCAA Selection Sunday. In the Blue Devils' 78-70 ACC Tournament win over Georgia Tech, Flagg landed on a Georgia Tech player's foot while grabbing a rebound with 2:46 left in the first half. Coach Jon Scheyer ruled him out for the remainder of the contest, and Flagg eventually returned to the court shortly after halftime with a noticeable limp. It's very likely that we won't see him play again until the NCAA Tournament, with the first round set for March 20-21. Since Duke is expected to earn the No. 1 seed in the East, its first NCAA Tournament game would be next Friday, March 21, giving Flagg eight days to prepare.
Flagg's Injury Concern for the Madness
I don't think it's a bad thing for Flagg to rest and come back even stronger for the main goal: winning Duke's sixth national championship after a 10-year drought. As for the ACC Tournament, the most important thing for fans is that tonight's semifinal is against archrival North Carolina, a team Duke beat twice this season by more than 10 points. We'll see how the best regular season team fares without its top player, who at this point would be the first freshman in Division I history to lead his team in every major statistical category - points (19.4), rebounds (7.6), assists (4.2), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.3).
In Duke trainer Dr. Joseph Wilson's initial report, he told ESPN after the game that Flagg's "mild" sprain still showed "significant swelling. Head coach Jon Scheyer, now in his third year, has made deeper runs each season - losing in the second round of the tournament in his first year and in the regional final (Elite Eight) last year. If the trend continues, they should at least make the Final Four this time, though they are favored to win it all. The coach also had to address the situation in the press conference, and here's what he said about the ACC Rookie and Player of the Year: "It's not about being ready to go tomorrow. That's not the biggest thing for us. We've got to see if we can get him right for this run that we can make in the (NCAA) tournament.
Can Cooper Flagg Leave as a Champion?
Another key absence for Duke against NC - and likely for the beginning of the tournament - is Maliq Brown, who along with Flagg is their most versatile defender. Brown re-aggravated his dislocated left shoulder just minutes before Flagg's injury, and it looks like the forward will miss some time as well. As for Flagg, he'll have to channel his absence mentally and return with the superstar mentality that defines him. The game - or games, if they reach the finals - without Flagg will be a great opportunity for the rest of the team to step up, as opposing defenses will focus on shutting him down in March Madness. Easier said than done.
As for his future, even if Duke doesn't win the national championship, it's hard to imagine Flagg not being selected first overall. But what better way to enter the big leagues than as a national champion, just like Anthony Davis - the last NCAA champion to be selected first overall. Not only that, but Flagg could Davis (2012), Zion Williamson (2019) and Kevin Durant (2007) as the only freshmen in history to win the award. Hopefully, the injury will allow him to return healthy and ready to compete at the level he has shown all year.