On Selection Sunday, Duke basketball earned a spot in the men’s NCAA Tournament as the 1-seed for the 15th time in program history. All eyes are on Cooper Flagg as top-seeded Duke prepares for its highly anticipated NCAA postseason run in March.
Cooper Flagg’s Anticipated Return: Duke’s Championship Quest Reignited
Flagg, the Blue Devils’ freshman sensation, injured his left ankle during the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Georgia Tech on March 13, 2025. Flagg landed awkwardly while attempting to recover a defensive rebound, forcing him to exit the game midway.
Duke will begin the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 21 at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, against the winner of the No. 16 seeds American and Mount St. Mary’s.
On Wednesday, March 19, the First Four will take place in Dayton, Ohio, with American and Mount St. Mary’s competing.
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
Duke coach Jon Scheyer disclosed his top player’s status on ESPN’s “Bracketology” broadcast on Sunday, after the NCAA Tournament bracket was unveiled, stating the goal is for him to return Friday in the first round.
“From my perspective, it’s full steam ahead. I want to get Coop back as quickly as I can, and he wants to do the same. Tomorrow is important. Today was an off day, we got back late (from the ACC tournament),” Scheyer said Sunday.
“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,” the Blue Devils coach continued.
“Our goal is for Friday. No question about that.”
Following rising concerns over Flagg’s availability for the NCAA tournament, Cooper Flagg’s mother, Kelly, spoke with Front Office Sports on Monday and shared a cautiously optimistic update.
When asked if she expects her son to play this weekend, Kelly replied, “Yes, I expect to see him very soon.”
Also Read: How Tall Is Cooper Flagg? Full Breakdown of the Duke Superstar’s Measurements
All signs suggest Flagg returning for Duke’s NCAA Tournament opening on March 21, 2025. His recovery is going well, and both the coaching staff and his family are confident in his readiness.
Flagg’s comeback is expected to substantially improve Duke’s play as they target a national championship.
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