Duke Basketball

Duke star forward Cooper Flagg returned to the team Friday after missing nearly all of the ACC tournament with a sprained left ankle.

After his team's 93-49 first round win over Mount St. Mary's to open the NCAA tournament, Flagg was asked by Mike DeCourcy of the Sporting News about when he started to feel like there was "no doubt" he would be ready.

Flagg provided this response.

"It was more of just a plan to be ready" 💯

Cooper Flagg never doubted he'd be ready for his #MarchMadness debut with @DukeMBB pic.twitter.com/eV4Z6ihutC

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2025

"Honestly for me, after watching the whole ACC tournament, it was more of just like a plan to just be ready, for this game, and we just put a plan in place," Flagg said.

"We have phases, a strategy of just getting back, getting prepared, and being ready, so we just followed a step-by-step, on my work with our medical team, really well, they did a great job of just getting me ready."

That plan and strategy clearly worked, as Flagg scored 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting alongside seven rebounds and four assists in just 22 minutes en route to a 44-point victory.

Duke announced on Thursday that Flagg would play in the team's first-round matchup.

“I feel really good,” Flagg said, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. “I’m really confident about going 100 percent tomorrow.”

Flagg participated in the team's open practice and was good to go Friday.

The ACC Player of the Year, who could very well sweep national player of the year honors too, has averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. He's met the massive preseason hype and then some and looks primed to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft should he declare.

Until then, Flagg looks fully healthy and ready to lead Duke, one of the nation's top title contenders. The Blue Devils will now face No. 9 seed Baylor on Sunday.

One of the biggest question marks heading into the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament was the health of Duke star Cooper Flagg after he missed most of the ACC tournament with an ankle injury, and the Blue Devils provided a positive update Thursday.

No. 1 Duke announced Flagg is available for Friday's first-round showdown against No. 16 Mount St. Mary's:

Coop update --> active tomorrow vs. Mount St. Mary's

🕺🕺🕺🕺👿 @Cooper_Flagg pic.twitter.com/V5fDURoYPF

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 20, 2025

Flagg told reporters he believes he will be 100 percent after practicing in full on Wednesday. 

It was easy to speculate that the Blue Devils might not play Flagg in the first round since they are expected to cruise past the No. 16 seed in the East Region.

However, head coach Jon Scheyer indicated Sunday during an appearance on ESPN that the hope was the star freshman would play Friday.

Duke men's basketball head coach Jon Scheyer says it’s “full steam ahead” for Cooper Flagg and the goal is to have him play in the tournament on Friday 💪 pic.twitter.com/vIRGFzljRy

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 17, 2025

"From my perspective, it's full steam ahead," Scheyer said. "I want to get Coop back as quickly as we can, and he wants to do the same. Obviously, tomorrow is important. Today was an off day, we got back late (from the ACC tournament). We are hoping he can start to progress starting tomorrow with doing some on-court work and then build up to where he can practice later in the week.

"Our goal is for Friday. No question about it."

Mission accomplished given Thursday's update, which is troubling news for a Mount St. Mary's team hoping to pull off a shocking upset.

Flagg was the ACC Player of the Year while averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game and shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from deep. 

He does a little bit of everything on the floor and can attack off the bounce, hit from long range, anchor the defense and facilitate when defenders come his way. He is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft and will have the chance to perform in front of a national audience throughout the Big Dance.

Duke still won the ACC tournament with victories over North Carolina and Virginia after Flagg suffered the injury against Georgia Tech, but the Blue Devils are far better suited to compete for a national title if their star is healthy and on the floor.

After Duke managed to win the ACC tournament championship despite missing star freshman Cooper Flagg while he nursed an ankle injury, some are convinced that the Blue Devils have what it takes to run through the entire field in the NCAA tournament.

An NBA scout told ESPN's Jeff Borzello that they're so impressed with Duke that it appears to them that other teams will have to be close to perfect in order to beat the Blue Devils.

"After what they were able to accomplish without Flagg in the ACC tournament, I'm not sure there is a hole here with this team," the scout said. "Maybe it's the lack of experience with its top three players, but the sheer depth [the Blue Devils] possess, the amount of lineups they can throw out there to beat you, the energy they exert on each side of the ball and their mix of shooting, size, versatility, talent and intangible guys. It might take a near-perfect game to beat them, especially if they are at full health."

Duke's win in the ACC tournament secured the No. 1 seed in the East Region of the NCAA tournament bracket. With Flagg resting his injured ankle, players like freshman guard Kon Knueppel and junior guard Tyrese Proctor stepped up to replace his production.

The experience of succeeding without Flagg in the lineup should give the Blue Devils even more confidence as they prepare for the NCAA tournament.

Duke will face the winner of the First Four matchup between American and Mount St. Mary's in the first round on Friday.

Click here to play the NCAA March Madness Men's Bracket Challenge.

Duke men's basketball head coach Jon Scheyer revealed that standout freshman Cooper Flagg is targeting a return in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament after suffering an ankle injury.

"It's full steam ahead," Scheyer said on ESPN's College GameNight on Sunday. "I want to get Coop back as quickly as we can, and he wants to do the same. You know, obviously tomorrow is important. We had an off day today. We got back late. We hope that he can start to progress starting tomorrow with doing some on-court work and then build up to where he can practice later in the week. So our goal is for Friday, no question about it. I know that's his goal as well. We're just going to progress him the right way and still be smart about not doing too much in the beginning."

Flagg missed the Blue Devils' final two games of the ACC tournament—which they won—after suffering a sprained ankle during a 78-70 win over Georgia Tech on Thursday.

With the entire field of 68 teams released on Sunday, Duke is now scheduled to face off against the winner of the First Four battle between American and Mount St. Mary's on Friday.

THE BRACKET 🙌#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/fo6lA8hJ7g

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 16, 2025

The Blue Devils earned the No. 1 seed in the East Region, with NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt explaining that Flagg's expected availability kept his team as a top seed.

"We understand through communication with Duke and the ACC that Cooper Flagg will be available for the NCAA tournament, so don't expect that to impact their seeding," Gavitt said Saturday.

Flagg met the high expectations that were set for him ahead of his freshman campaign, averaging 18.9 points and 7.5 rebounds to go along with 4.1 assists per game on 48.8/36.8/83.0 shooting splits.

The 18-year-old also made his presence felt on defense, recording 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

Flagg was named the 2024-25 ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.

If he ultimately can't suit up in the first round, freshman guard Isaiah Evans is the top candidate to start in his place.

While Flagg isn't officially available for the start of March Madness just yet, Scheyer provided an optimistic update regarding the forward's eventual return from an ankle sprain.

Duke forward Cooper Flagg will miss his team's ACC tournament championship game matchup on Saturday due to a sprained left ankle, per head coach Jon Scheyer to reporters on Friday (h/t Bryan Fischer of Sports Illustrated).

Scheyer says “it’s a good sprain” for Cooper Flagg. He won’t play tomorrow.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) March 15, 2025

Scheyer relayed the news after Duke, which played without Flagg, defeated UNC 74-71 in the semifinals on Friday.

Flagg suffered the injury during the first half of Duke's 78-70 win over Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament quarterfinals on Thursday when he went up high for a defensive rebound and accidentally landed on Yellow Jackets forward Baye Ndongo's foot.

Thankfully, X-rays were negative, per head coach Jon Scheyer.

Jon Scheyer on Cooper Flagg:

"He sprained his ankle. X-rays were negative, which is great. We just have to see how he recovers and how he goes from there"pic.twitter.com/zKKzQDc1oc

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 13, 2025

On Friday, Duke took a 24-point lead early in the second half but nearly saw all of it evaporate as UNC cut the deficit to 72-71 with 32 seconds left.

The Tar Heels had a chance to take the lead when Ven-Allen Lubin went to the line for two shots with four seconds left, but he missed the first before Jae'Lyn Withers committed a lane violation on the second attempt, giving the ball back to Duke.

Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel made two free throws in response, and Lubin's three at the buzzer was off the mark, pushing Duke into the championship game.

At this point, the biggest question is how Flagg will be next week, when Duke starts its NCAA tournament run. He's an integral member of the team, leading the squad in all five major categories (18.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG). Flagg is looking like the 2025 NBA draft's No. 1 overall pick should he declare as well.

As far as the bracket goes, all signs point to the Blue Devils being the East region's No. 1 seed, which would mean a start date of Friday, March 21.

That would give Flagg eight days of rest, but it's unclear whether that would be enough for him, especially with Scheyer classifying the injury as a "good sprain."

So at this point, Duke is playing a waiting game on Flagg's injury. In the interim, the ACC Championship Game awaits Saturday before the team finds out its tournament fate on Selection Sunday.

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has been recognized for his efforts this year.

The 18-year-old was named the ACC Men's Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year after leading the Blue Devils to a 19-1 regular-season record within the conference.

Flagg is averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season.

Flagg was the No. 1 recruit heading into his freshman year and has lived up to the hype. He has been one of the most impressive players in college basketball this season and would likely be the No. 1 pick if he declares for the 2025 NBA draft.

The Blue Devils are the favorites to win the ACC tournament and are likely to have a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Duke has not won a national championship since 2015 and last reached the Final Four in 2022.

Flagg still has some more to accomplish before he makes a decision for next year, but the league-issued awards ensure that he will have a legacy in Durham.

Tyrese Proctor continued his heater with 23 points and Cooper Flagg added 19 as No. 3 Duke men's basketball rolled to a 106-70 home win over Stanford on Saturday afternoon.

Proctor scored 17 first-half points to propel Duke to its second straight wire-to-wire victory. The junior guard finished 9-of-13 shooting (5-of-8 from three) en route to a 36-point blowout that featured Duke scoring its season-high in points.

Proctor tied his season-high in points, which was first established last Saturday against Clemson. He's in the midst of a stellar five-game stretch, averaging 19.4 points on 53.8 percent shooting (48.6 percent from three).

His three-pointer early in the first half kick-started an 8-0 Blue Devils run that blossomed into a 29-9 stretch.

Love the ball movement. Start of an 8-0 run. pic.twitter.com/UEByrZuPM5

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 15, 2025

A 13-all tie turned into a 42-22 lead, and Duke never looked back. Proctor scored 10 of Duke's 29 points during that run.

As is typically the case, Flagg had another solid game, adding six assists, five rebounds and two steals to his scoring output. Khaman Maluach (17 points), Sion James (14 points) and Caleb Foster (10 points) also finished in double figures.

Duke was remarkably efficient on offense, hitting 62.5 percent of its field goals and dishing 23 assists to just five turnovers.

Saturday marked Duke's second straight win after suffering its only ACC loss thus far, a 77-71 defeat to Clemson. The Blue Devils responded with a 78-57 home win over Cal before taking care of business against Stanford.

Proctor was the story in this latest victory, with fans raving about his recent efforts.

Tyrese Proctor has been on a tear these last few games. It was getting spooky for a second

— Dev (@schlix_gawd) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor is playing at an all American level. Currently the best 2 way guard in the ACC.

— Dillon Wright (@BlueDevilTalk) February 15, 2025

Seeing Tyrese Proctor elevate his game the past few games...

HE is the one who can make this good team a GREAT team. IYKYK

— Andrew Jensen (@EightyJ) February 15, 2025

This is the Tyrese proctor that was expected going into last year and he’s playing like a lotto pick. Proud of him man he’s special. Will do anything to win. He’s scoring on all 3 levels, proven he can facilitate the offense, is a lockdown defender, and a great leader.

— sam levi (@sam_levi2) February 15, 2025

Tyrese proctor has been on a heater man

— Mike B 😈 (@M_Bulger19) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor pic.twitter.com/9mCfWoKH3t

— Mike Conley’s Last Dance (@TrellInterlude) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor on a heater

— justin (@bayoubluedevil) February 15, 2025

Wow, Tyrese Proctor has been so good this year.

— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) February 15, 2025

It's so great watching Tyrese Proctor play so well. He was my K Academy coach and just was such a nice person

— Kevin Malphurs (@KMalphurs) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor has leveled up. pic.twitter.com/hDudionnt0

— Blue Devil Nation (@BlueDevilNation) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor last 6(?) games pic.twitter.com/YtSPoLFZCd

— K Rowe (@KellyRowe910) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor has hit another level. If he can keep this up the remainder of the year, Duke will be a TOUGH out.

— Dillon Wright (@BlueDevilTalk) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor is raising Duke’s ceiling.

— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor's shot & play lately has been off the charts good!! 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/88jXfaR9ba

— Amy Murray (@VTDukefan) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor is playing at a first team All-ACC level right now

— JMann_ (@JMannsTakes) February 15, 2025

Over the previous four games, Tyrese Proctor averaged 18.5 points per game and shot 45 percent from three-point range.

In the first half vs. Stanford today, Proctor has 17 points and is 3-for-6 on 3s.

If he continues to play this week, Duke is the best team in the country.

— Josh Graham (@JoshGrahamShow) February 15, 2025

Tyrese Proctor has been playing as well as any guard in the country last 3/4 games fr

— ⭕️H〽️elly🤴🏾 (@_kingmelly) February 15, 2025

The 22-3 Blue Devils (14-1 in ACC play) will now travel to Virginia to play the Cavaliers on Monday at 8 p.m. ET.

Led by Cooper Flagg's 27 points, No. 3 Duke men's basketball bounced back from its lone ACC loss with an emphatic 78-57 home victory over Cal on Wednesday evening.

Cooper Flagg continues to make his case for national POY 🏆

27 PTS | 8-14 FG | 2-4 3PT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/zX22CJHiyU

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) February 13, 2025

On Saturday, Duke fell to Clemson 77-71, ending a 16-game winning streak.

Tonight, the Blue Devils never trailed and led by as many as 26 points en route to going 21-3 overall and 13-1 in ACC play. A dominant first half where Duke jumped out to a 7-0 and led 38-23 at halftime set the tone. The Blue Devils also kept their foot on the gas in the second half, leading by 13 or more over the final 20 minutes.

Flagg shot 8-of-14 and made all nine of his free throws. He also added five rebounds, three assists, three steals and a few highlights too.

COOPER FLAGG TAKE FLIGHT ✈️🔥 pic.twitter.com/XepJ3YGzAG

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 13, 2025

Cooper Flagg had ANOTHER big game in @DukeMBB's win over Cal as he continues to make a run for National Player of the Year 👀

27 PTS | 8-14 FG | 5 REB | 3 STL pic.twitter.com/5KR25Dnuet

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 13, 2025

Tyrese Proctor poured in 18 points, and Khaman Maluach added a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double for Duke, which was the heavy favorite rolling into this game against a Cal team that's now 12-13 overall (5-9 ACC).

However, this was still a solid outing from Duke considering a tough second half against Clemson on Saturday, when the Tigers outscored the Blue Devils 42-30.

Flagg had a rare off-night, shooting 6-of-17 and scoring just three points until pouring in 14 over the final 6:05 of regulation.

But he bounced back in a big way Wednesday as Duke showcased once again why it's a formidable national championship threat.

Freshmen like Cooper Flagg don’t come around very often. He’s lived up to every expectation that was given to him.

pic.twitter.com/js0pfW2TDm

— Zach “🅂🄲🄷🅄🅉” Schumaker (@_SchuZ_) February 13, 2025

The twice-weekly Cooper Flagg wow play: grabs a defensive rebound, goes coast-to-coast to finish left-handed through contact, and-one. The ball even sat on the rim for two full beats before falling in, for dramatic effect.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) February 13, 2025

COOPER FLAGG HAMMER-TIME

NPOY HIM NOW!!! 🔨 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/r0rowxJHwv

— Rick Heidrick (@rheidrick24) February 13, 2025

COOPER FLAGG pic.twitter.com/grhY6JDiRi

— Kaitlin Tomassoni (@ktomassoni1) February 13, 2025

Cooper Flagg’s college mixtape is gonna be crazy. Kids will still be watching it in 20 years

— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) February 13, 2025

Cooper Flagg. Most unselfish, talented college player this year. He passes first, plays D, takes over when he needs to.
Just turned 18.

— Go Dolphins,NYY, #PhinsUp (@RTapp5) February 13, 2025

https://twitter.com/kheaton2005/status/1889885536183271710

Cooper Flagg. The Maine Event.

— Alterraun⚡ (@Hockfan445) February 13, 2025

Duke will now host Stanford on Saturday at 4 p.m. ET in a game that will be televised on ABC.

No. 2 Duke suffered an upset loss to Clemson on Saturday night, falling by the final score of 77-71.

Final pic.twitter.com/iXJYoQNGKd

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 9, 2025

With the Blue Devils trailing by two points and 21 seconds left in the second half, standout freshman Cooper Flagg slipped and fell. Flagg was called for a travel, helping the Tigers secure the win.

It was a rough end to a promising second-half performance from the 18-year-old, scoring 14 of his 18 points after halftime. Flagg shot just 6-17 from the field, but he connected on three of his six attempts from behind the arc.

This included a three-pointer that put the Blue Devils up by one point with roughly one minute remaining in the contest.

HOOPER. FLAGG. 🤯

📺 @espn x @DukeMBB pic.twitter.com/p3AuyKPoIV

— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) February 9, 2025

Fans weren't pleased with the performance from Flagg and Duke as head coach Jon Scheyer's team suffered its first ACC loss of the season.

Clemson gets a huge win, handing Duke its first league setback and first overall loss since Nov. 26 against Kansas in Vegas.

Cooper Flagg was pedestrian until the last 6-7 minutes.

Cincinnati transfer Viktor Lakhin was terrific and Chase Hunter made a couple big plays on both…

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 9, 2025

COOPER FLAGG SLIPPED AGAIN IN CRUNCH TIME

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) February 9, 2025

This was the L we could afford to take but man, that's tough.

— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) February 9, 2025

How has Cooper Flagg slipped at the end of the game in all of Duke’s losses? It’s just crazy and very unlucky. SMH

— Megan Elissa (@TheMeganElissa) February 9, 2025

Cooper Flagg with the game on the line pic.twitter.com/fLg3EPwVXq

— Fat Rat (@FatRatCowboy) February 9, 2025

Does Cooper Flagg grease his shoes for late game situations?

— Big Blue Express (@bigbluexpress) February 9, 2025

Cooper Flagg might honestly be cursed with the ball in his hands late in a game.

— Matt Burton (@IAmMattBurton) February 9, 2025

The defeat was especially disappointing for the Blue Devils considering their three-point accuracy throughout the contest, connecting on 12 of their 24 attempts from behind the arc as a team.

For Clemson, senior forward Viktor Lakhin scored a team-high 22 points on 9-12 shooting. Guard Chase Hunter also chipped in with 14 points and seven rebounds.

Duke's 16-game win streak was snapped, marking its first loss since Nov. 26.

The Blue Devils fell to 20-3, while the Tigers improved to 19-5.

The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils just keep rolling.

Duke improved to 20-2 overall and a perfect 12-0 in ACC play with an 83-54 victory over a struggling Syracuse team on Wednesday at JMA Wireless Dome. The Orange dropped to 10-13 overall and 4-8 in the conference.

All eyes are on Cooper Flagg every time he takes the floor, and the star freshman finished with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks on 4-of-7 shooting from the field.

He was one of five Blue Devils to score in double figures, including Tyrese Proctor (16 points) and Isaiah Evans (10 points, four assists and three rebounds).

J.J. Starling led the way for the Orange with 12 points, but social media was focused on the victorious showing from Flagg and his teammates:

THE DIME 👀 @MaliqBrown1 pic.twitter.com/h9xh67WYGV

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 6, 2025

genius ball by Liq + the squad 🧠🖼️👀 pic.twitter.com/FwVdVBnRBH

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) February 6, 2025

COOPER MF FLAGG!!! THROW IT DOWN YOUNG FELLAAAA 🔨 😤 pic.twitter.com/9rXCjyn4Pp

— Rick Heidrick (@rheidrick24) February 6, 2025

ive never seen a team play better defense then duke plays

— Brian Martin (@bigbrainnn30) February 6, 2025

pic.twitter.com/tfFAUHbAKk

— Duke Digest (@DukeDigest) February 6, 2025

Duke is looking like a well oiled machine…. I absolutely love it. Can’t let up tho, gotta stay locked in 😈 need CFost to get his confidence back too we believe in you #DukeNation

— TF (@torezfisher) February 6, 2025

Duke is otherworldly this year!

— U-Goboy (@U_goBoy) February 6, 2025

Cooper Flagg is the best college basketball player this year.

— Thatz Okay (@Thatz_Okay) February 6, 2025

@DukeNBA Cuse fans walking to the door at the 5:21 mark. Let’s go Duke!

— Eric eller (@Ericeller20) February 6, 2025

Historically, Duke and Syracuse is an intriguing matchup with legendary coaches in Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim. However, the programs are in two very different places following their retirements with the Blue Devils unblemished in conference play with one of the nation's best players in Flagg.

They were also coming off a blowout win over archrival North Carolina and entered play with no shortage of momentum.

That momentum didn't go anywhere out of the gates, as the visitors controlled play in the first half on the way to a commanding 14-point lead at intermission. They used a balanced attack to build that lead with Proctor finding his stroke from deep and Kon Knueppel consistently getting to the free-throw line.

Being able to create separation without Flagg doing too much of the heavy lifting underscores how dangerous this Blue Devils team can be by March because they don't need the likely No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA draft to carry them on a nightly basis.

Syracuse was within striking distance at the start of the second half, but that quickly changed.

Duke continued to pull away with impressive ball movement on the offensive side to go with swarming defense that created a number of turnovers and prevented the Orange from creating many open looks.

Cooper Flagg with the POWERFUL stuff 💥

(via @espn) pic.twitter.com/IVWuyzhp1z

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) February 6, 2025

Flagg also brought the Blue Devils bench to its feet with a monster slam and block on back-to-back plays, reminding everyone in attendance he can dazzle at a moment's notice even if he isn't going for 30-plus points.

The majority of the second half was a formality as Duke drained the energy from the crowd.

Saturday's trip to Clemson figures to be more challenging since the Tigers are in second place in the ACC at 10-2 with an opportunity to make up ground with a head-to-head showdown.