On Thursday, Duke ahead Cooper Flagg confirmed he plans to return within the Blue Devils’ NCAA Match opener towards Mount St. Mary’s on Friday at 2:50 p.m. ET on CBS.
Flagg suffered an ankle injury within the ACC Match quarterfinals towards Georgia Tech on March 13 and missed the Blue Devils’ previous two video games. Flagg mentioned he wasn’t restricted in observe Wednesday and is “pain-free,” in accordance with ESPN’s David Hale.
“We have been working by way of the steps of simply getting again to 100%, and I really feel superb,” Flagg mentioned Thursday, per Hale. “I am very assured transferring ahead.”
No. 1 seed Duke (31-3) may in all probability win its matchup towards No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s (23-12) with out Flagg, who leads the workforce in scoring (18.9 factors per sport in 32 video games). It captured the ACC Match title with out the 6-foot-9, 205-pounder.
Extra importantly, Mount St. Mary’s does not appear like a workforce that would upset the Blue Devils. They’re No. 236 in the NET rankings, and ESPN Analytics provides them a 1% chance to beat Duke.
With Duke’s first-round matchup trying like a possible breeze, that will elevate questions on whether or not Flagg ought to relaxation.
In Tankathon’s latest mock draft, the Washington Wizards take him with choose No. 1. Struggling a serious damage may influence his NBA future.
Nevertheless, NBC Sports activities analyst/former Michigan guard Jalen Rose famous if Flagg does not play, that would improve the possibility Duke will get bounced.
“Sure, it is the NCAA Match,” Rose mentioned Tuesday when requested if Duke may lose with out Flagg, through Fox News’ Scott Thompson. “And the one factor in regards to the separation between groups, it is not as mighty if you’re with out your greatest participant who is perhaps the No. 1 choose within the [2025 NBA] Draft. That is simply how this works. So, sure, they might be in hassle if he does not come again.”
With that in thoughts, Flagg in all probability does not need his workforce to take its possibilities with out him.
