“He’s doing better,” Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer has said, confirming Flagg would not play in the ACC title game. When freshman star Cooper Flagg hobbled off the floor, Duke collectively gasped. Flagg’s injury has now elevated the level of concern for Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils before the NCAA tournament. Cooper Flagg’s playmaking has captured college basketball and created an endless loop of highlights. But for Duke, Flagg’s injury leaves a massive hole to fill ahead of the big dance.

That said, ESPN’s Pete Thamel had some cautiously optimistic words, saying, “Will Cooper Flagg play in the first round of the NCAA tournament? You clearly know Duke is a 1 seed; they’re going to play a 16 seed. It’ll be rest and recovery for Cooper Flagg for next week.” Rest certainly appears critical, but he’s not out of the woods just yet.

Duke fans still remember the 2019 season when Zion Williamson’s midseason injury scare forced RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish to shoulder the load. While they managed wins, the cracks showed in the Elite Eight loss to Michigan State. Flagg, like Zion, is a generational talent whose absence could expose similar vulnerabilities unless his teammates adapt quickly.

Interestingly, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas issued a bold wake-up call on ESPN for Flagg’s teammates: “Cooper Flagg’s a little bit different because he essentially played a lot of point guard for them, so it changes everybody’s roles,” said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. “Usually, the first game back is your best game; the first game without. As you go on, though, it becomes a little more pronounced. I think Duke has a character where some of these players who have played alongside Cooper Flagg can step out of their roles—they’re capable of more. But that means everybody has a changed role, and the question is how they’re going to handle that and mesh together in a short period of time.”

As daunting as that may sound, Duke’s win over UNC showed that Bilas was right — guys did step up, and in big ways, without Cooper Flagg.

Against North Carolina, it was Kon Knueppel who provided the spark. He finished with 17 points, leading Duke in scoring for the third consecutive game. Tyrese Proctor took control for stretches, orchestrating the offense with Knueppel. Even without Flagg and Maliq Brown, Duke clawed out a 74-71 nail-biting victory, showcasing their formidable roster depth. However, this win isn’t without question marks, and it looks like only Cooper Flagg has those answers. So, when will he be back for the Blue Devils?

Jon Scheyer provides updates regarding Cooper Flagg’s injury

Flagg’s injury, which he sustained in the Georgia Tech game, has created quite a scare. “He’s doing better. All the imaging came back negative, but he sprained it pretty good. It’s a good sprain,” Jon Scheyer said. “I’m not breaking any news: he’s not going to play tomorrow.” Talking about the title game.

His injury is not “out for the season” serious, but serious enough to keep him off the court for now. But as much as Duke wants him back, they also want to make sure he’s healthy. Scheyer said. “X-rays were negative, which is great. We just have to understand there’s going to be swelling and see how he recovers and how he goes from there.”

The plan is to proceed day by day and ensure Flagg returns healthy for the tournament. “Our goal is to have him ready for the tournament. But we need to see how this weekend goes with the swelling and what he can do.” Scheyer noted. On the possibility of Flagg returning early, Scheyer was blunt: “To be honest with you, I would have to be convinced by everybody in the locker room when I go back there that he should play, It’s not worth it. It just isn’t.”

Flagg isn’t just Duke’s present—he’s their golden ticket to reclaiming ACC supremacy and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Scheyer’s reluctance to rush him back isn’t just about March Madness; it’s about protecting a franchise cornerstone.

At the end of the day, getting Cooper Flagg back is priority number one. Duke has shown they can win without him, but let’s not kid ourselves—March Madness is a different beast, and if Duke wants to make a serious run, they need their star freshman back in action. Until then, everything revolves around Flagg’s recovery.