March Madness is almost here, and the excitement around Duke is building fast. A lot of that has to do with freshman phenom Cooper Flagg. The “Maine event” at Duke has helped the Blue Devils lock up the No. 2 overall seed, right behind Auburn. But there’s a problem–Flagg is still recovering from an ankle sprain he sustained in the ACC tournament. Can Duke make a deep run with their star freshman possibly not at 100%? Or is that just the beginning of their problems? Jon Scheyer could be in for a rude awakening!

There was some optimism among the fans and media when Scheyer hinted at a possible return for Flagg in the first round. But that was quickly shut down by Scheyer himself. “Jon Scheyer says he did not confirm that Cooper Flagg would play next week, but says that’s his intention. Says he’s not sure where the earlier report came from,” reported Chris Lea of WRAL. This only adds more tension to the Blue Devil camp. But according to Tim Donnelly, that’s not the only trouble brewing for Jon Scheyer.

On 99.9 The Fan YouTube channel, Donnelly highlighted the growing pressure on Scheyer. He says, “This is his third season and he had not been a head coach anywhere else … he’s still learning and Scheyer has to deal with a legendary like blue blood problem, a legendary Duke problem.” He continues, “But the challenge is this, the target is on your back you are the favorites , expectations are the highest for you.” 

This is the issue Jon Scheyer has in store for him– expectations. Duke is the odds-on favorite to win the NCAA Tournament this year. In his first two years, Scheyer led Duke to a No. 5 and No. 4 seed. He’s never coached a team seeded higher than No. 4. But Duke is one of the most successful programs in history, with the second-most No. 1 seeds in Big Dance history. Donnelly believes this is a level of pressure Scheyer has never dealt with before.

Duke’s 19 No. 1 seeds and five titles under Krzyzewski loom large, and Scheyer’s 2023 Round of 32 and 2024 Elite Eight exits—while solid—fall short of the Final Four benchmark fans demand. With Flagg projected as the 2025 NBA Draft’s No. 1 pick, anything less than a championship feels like failure.

To make things worse for Scheyer, Jai Lucas–Duke’s defensive mastermind–won’t be with the team anymore. This season, Lucas turned Duke into one of the best defensive teams in the country, holding opponents to just 61.9 points per game. Lucas, who left for Miami’s head coaching job, crafted schemes that neutralized stars like Auburn’s Johni Broome in a December 4 win, with Maliq Brown anchoring the paint. His departure, mandated by NCAA rules, leaves Duke without its defensive architect at the worst possible time—right as Brown, averaging 3.3 steals per 40 minutes, also sits out with a knee tweak from the ACC title game. Losing such a key figure at such a crucial time only adds to the growing list of problems for Scheyer.

For now, Scheyer will keep his eyes on what’s next. Whether Cooper Flagg plays or not, the focus remains on winning the first round of the Big Dance. Let’s take a look at who the Blue Devils will face as they begin another March Madness run, hoping to bring a championship back home.

What’s next for Cooper Flagg and co

Duke is preparing for a major test ahead. As the No. 1 seed in the East Region, the Blue Devils will kick off their March Madness run on Friday, March 21. They’ll face the winner of a play-in game between the University of the American and Mount St. Mary’s College.

The game carries extra importance. Duke will be playing just a short trip from home in Raleigh, North Carolina, and will be counting on strong support from the fans. Jon Scheyer will not only be without the services of Cooper Flagg but he will also be without the services of junior forward Maliq Brown who has been influential defensively for the Blue Devils this year.

Jon Scheyer knows the pressure is on him to deliver Duke its sixth championship. Without Flagg, Brown, and associate head coach Jai Lucas, the challenge has only grown. But given Scheyer’s leadership and how he guided the Blue Devils to an ACC tournament title, you can expect Duke to fight through the adversity. Stay tuned for more updates on Duke!