Duke’s championship aspirations took a scare in Charlotte when ACC Player of the Year and star freshman Cooper Flagg suffered an ankle injury during the Blue Devils’ ACC quarterfinal win over Georgia Tech. Though he missed the rest of the tournament, Duke still powered through North Carolina and Louisville to claim the title. Now, Flagg is officially set to return for the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Duke Men’s Basketball confirmed the news on social media:
“Coop update → active tomorrow vs. Mount St. Mary’s”
Despite finishing as the No. 1 team in the AP Poll, Duke did not secure the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament—that honor went to Auburn. However, the Blue Devils remain the betting favorites and the most popular choice in fan brackets. Flagg’s availability significantly impacts Duke’s championship hopes, but head coach Jon Scheyer has built a deep and talented roster in his third season.
Scheyer’s squad features ACC Tournament MVP Kon Knueppel, elite rim protector Khaman Maluach, and dynamic scorer Isaiah Evans, all from the 2024 recruiting class. He also secured key transfers in Mason Gillis, a key player from Purdue’s Final Four run last year, and Sion James, who has taken over as Duke’s starting point guard.
While this group was strong enough to dominate an underwhelming ACC, Duke’s ultimate success still hinges on Flagg. The freshman phenom was a unanimous First-Team All-American and spent the season in a tight race with Auburn’s Johni Broome for the Wooden Award as National Player of the Year.
Duke tips off its NCAA Tournament run on Friday afternoon in Raleigh against Mount St. Mary’s, the winner of Wednesday night’s First Four matchup.
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