2 min read • May 13, 2025
Posted in
Duke phenom Cooper Flagg showed no signs of slowing down during the NCAA Tournament, despite suffering an ankle injury in the ACC Conference Tournament just weeks earlier. The projected top NBA Draft pick turned heads with his poise, athleticism, and production on both ends of the floor even as questions swirled about his health.
In the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Georgia Tech, Flagg played just 15 minutes before going down with what appeared to be a Grade 2 left inversion ankle sprain, according to video analysis by Sicscore.com. The injury occurred when Flagg grabbed a rebound, slipped, and fell, causing his shoe to come off, something that likely prevented more significant damage.
While Duke kept his status under wraps heading into March Madness, Flagg started every NCAA Tournament game and played heavy minutes, helping lead the Blue Devils deep into the Final Four. Though he wasn’t always at full explosiveness, especially in early rounds, Flagg still impacted games with his defense, rebounding, and basketball IQ. He averaged 15.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game during the tournament, cementing his status as the most NBA-ready prospect in the country.
On Monday, the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA lottery, landing the #1 overall pick. Reports have already surfaced that Dallas will take Flagg with the top pick. Medical evaluations will be closely watched leading up to the draft, but Flagg’s ability to battle through injury and deliver in big moments only elevated his stock. If there were any doubts about his toughness or readiness, they were silenced in March.
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