Despite spraining his left ankle in Duke’s ACC Tournament opening on Thursday, Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg, a frontrunner for National Player of the Year, will be eligible for the NCAA Tournament, according to Dan Gavitt, the NCAA’s senior vice president of men’s basketball.
Gavitt said in a CBS broadcast Saturday that Duke and the ACC had informed the selection committee that Flagg will be allowed to compete in March Madness, as was previously planned.
“What we understand from communication with Duke and the ACC is that Cooper Flagg will be available for the NCAA tournament,” Gavitt clarified; “so don’t expect that to impact their seeding.”
Duke is projected to get a top seed on Selection Sunday, most likely in the East.
Flagg missed his first game of the season on Friday, when Duke upset rival North Carolina for the third time this season. While the Blue Devils triumphed, they could have used Flagg’s two-way domination in the second half, when UNC came close to completing a 24-point comeback.
The 6-foot-9 freshman, who leads Duke in all major statistical categories, will also miss Saturday’s ACC Championship game against Louisville.
Flagg injured his ankle just before halftime against Georgia Tech, when he fell on an opponent’s foot while coming down with a rebound. Flagg collapsed on the court in anguish and had to be taken off the game by his teammates. He was soon transferred to a wheelchair and sent for X-rays, which, according to coach Jon Scheyer, came back negative. Later that night, Scheyer stated that “it’s not worth it” for Duke to play Flagg again this week in Charlotte when the program’s broader goal is to win its sixth national title.
Flagg has not talked with media since his injury.
However, considering his return to Duke’s bench later Thursday night — although with a minor limp and no protective boot — it was expected that Flagg would be eligible for the Big Dance. On Friday, he seemed to be walking normally while clothed in street clothes on Duke’s bench.
“As far as Cooper goes, he’s doing better,” Scheyer stated Friday night. “I had a sprained ankle, and all imaging tests came back negative. He did, however, sprain it rather severely. It is a decent sprain. I am not breaking any news. He is not going to play (on Saturday). He cannot play. But our aim is to get him ready for the competition. But we’ll see how this weekend goes with the swelling.
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