Blue Devils HC Jon Scheyer provides encouraging injury update on Cooper Flagg ahead of NCAA Tournament

Cooper Flagg is considered one of the top prospects in the near future, and his potential is backed by the exceptional talent he has showcased with the Duke Blue Devils. An injury kept him out of recent games, leading many to wonder whether he will be available for coach Jon Scheyer as the NCAA Tournament approaches.

After his team’s victory over the Cardinals in the ACC Championship, all attention quickly turned to the upcoming challenges, with the status of their star player still uncertain. When asked by the press about the situation, Coach Scheyer remained optimistic about having Flagg available for the upcoming games.

“From my perspective, it’s full steam ahead,” Scheyer said to ESPN’s Rece Davis on Sunday. “I want to get Coop back as quickly as we can, and he wants to do the same.”

Additionally, the coach stated that the player’s primary goal is also to be present with his teammates this Friday: “So our goal is for Friday, no question about it. I know that’s his goal as well.”

Head coach Jon Scheyer of the Duke Blue Devils speaks with Cooper Flagg #2 during the second half of the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 01, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina.

What happened to Cooper Flagg?

During the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament, Cooper Flagg raised concerns when he was forced to leave the court in the game that his team ultimately won against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

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The situation became even more worrying when the player was seen leaving the court in a wheelchair on his way to the locker room. Ultimately, medical tests revealed an ankle injury that forced him to miss both the semifinals and the final of that tournament.

Although there is no certainty that the player has fully recovered from his injury, many are hopeful that he will see minutes in the upcoming game when the Blue Devils make their debut in the NCAA Tournament against the winner of the matchup between Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers and American University Eagles, both seeded number 16.

Cooper Flagg’s exceptional campaign

Cooper Flagg is one of the standout players in this College Basketball class, with a future in the NBA already on the horizon. This statement is backed by the impressive numbers he’s putting up since arriving at Duke, coupled with his exceptional talent, which appears to have no limits.

So far this season, Flagg leads his team in points (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.2). His absence was certainly felt, although his teammates stepped up with strong performances against both the Tar Heels and Louisville.