Injuries to freshman star Cooper Flagg, Maliq Brown hit at inopportune time for No. 1 Duke

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Cooper Flagg went airborne to snag a rebound in his first ACC Tournament game when Duke’s freshman star landed awkwardly and crashed to the court, holding his left ankle and writhing in pain.

It came moments after defensive whiz Maliq Brown had to be helped to the locker room, his left arm hanging limply by his side.

And just like that, top-ranked Duke now faces serious injury questions that threaten to linger well beyond however long the Blue Devils play in Charlotte.

Coach Jon Scheyer said it’s a “real long shot” that the 18-year-old Flagg — regarded as a favorite to be the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick whenever he jumps to the pros — will be able to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals due to that sprained ankle suffered during a quarterfinal win against Georgia Tech.

And it’s too early to say whether Brown will make it back at all. He was taken to a nearby hospital after dislocating his left shoulder again less than a week after returning from the injury. He plays a vital defensive role with his ability to switch screens, guard multiple positions and use his length to tally offense-disrupting deflections.

The injuries are concerning enough for a team that had to rally from 14 down to win, matching its biggest deficit of the season. But there’s another complication: Any absence, rehab or recovery comes with March Madness starting, a fact Scheyer alluded to in discussing Flagg’s injury.

“It’s not about being ready to go tomorrow,” Scheyer said. “That’s not the most important 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.

“But I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go (Friday). He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won’t be able to go anyway. But I think it’s a real long shot, a real long shot.”

Scheyer said Flagg already was dealing with…

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Source link : https://www.nbcsports.com/mens-college-basketball/news/injuries-to-freshman-star-cooper-flagg-maliq-brown-hit-at-inopportune-time-for-no-1-duke

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Publish date : 2025-03-14 15:29:00

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