Despite a horrible injury that required wheelchair assistance this week, Duke’s male basketball star, Cooper Flagg, will play in the NCAA tournament, according to his team.
Duke and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) informed the NCAA tournament selection committee that Flagg will be available for the tournament, Dan Gavitt, Senior Basketball Vice President of the NCAA, said on Saturday.
Gavitt made the comments about CBS before the advertisement of the 68th field.
Flagg twisted the left ankle during Duke’s victory against Georgia Tech on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
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Duke Blue Devils striker, Cooper Flagg, was injured in the first half in the Spectrum Center on March 13, 2025. (Images Bob Donnan/Imagn)
It happened when Flagg jumped to get a rebound. When he fell to the floor, he landed on the left ankle. He immediately wrinkled to the ground. The first year student of 6 -inch 6 inches remained on the floor for a few moments before being helped by his teammates. Flagg then had the bank, clearly in trouble, before sitting.
After leaving the game, Flagg was placed in a wheelchair and taken to the locker room.
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Duke Blue Devils striker, Cooper Flagg, was injured in the first half in the Spectrum Center on March 13, 2025. (Images Bob Donnan/Imagn)
Despite the injury, Flagg returned from the locker room to the bank to encourage his teammates in the second half, but did not return the game.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer said at a press conference after the game that there was ankle swelling.
Duke Blue Devils striker, Cooper Flagg, reacts while heading to the bank during the second half against the deacons of the Wake Forest Demon in the Indoor Stadium Cameron. (Rob Kinnan/Imagn images)
Flagg, appointed ACO player and newcomer from the year by Associated Press on Tuesday, Friday’s semifinal victory against the North Carolina rival was lost. Subsequently, Scheyer ruled out Flagg for the game for the title on Saturday night against No. 13 Louisville.
Flagg sat on the bank with black warm -up during the UNC game, standing on the back of Huddles with his injured teammate Maliq Brown. Flagg walked without a large lazy or protective boot during Friday’s game.
Gavitt said that Flagg’s state is not the only injury that the committee is tracking over the weekend, since the availability of players can take into account the planting of a team.
