It felt like déjà vu. Late in the first half against Georgia Tech, Cooper Flagg — Duke’s engine, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — soared for a rebound and came crashing down, clutching his left ankle in agony. The 6-foot-9 freshman was helped off the court as a hush settled over the Spectrum Center. For Duke fans, it stirred memories of another heartbreaking moment — February 20, 2019. Only 30 seconds into the Duke vs. North Carolina showdown, Zion Williamson’s shoe exploded, and with it, Duke’s championship momentum. The Blue Devils managed to survive the night with a 78-70 win, but Flagg’s injury comes at the worst possible time — with an ACC title and a No. 1 seed on the line.

Speculation about Flagg’s availability for the ACC championship game swirled for hours — until sports anchor Chanel Porter delivered the news no Duke fan wanted to hear. In a post on X, Porter wrote, “Jon Scheyer confirms that Cooper Flagg will not play in tomorrow’s ACC title game.” The announcement hit like a dagger. Flagg had been Duke’s engine all season, averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. His absence against archrival North Carolina had already signaled trouble in paradise. Was Scheyer simply protecting his star freshman for the more critical NCAA Tournament run, or was the injury more serious than initially suggested? Either way, Porter’s post confirmed what many had feared — Duke would be without their best player with a conference title on the line.

And this is not just any conference final. Duke leads the ACC with 22 championships, but North Carolina isn’t far behind with 18. A win would widen the gap and solidify Duke’s dominance. The Blue Devils pulled off a hard-fought 74-71 win over archrival North Carolina in the semifinals — a statement victory that should’ve set the stage for a confident title push. But without Flagg, that task becomes much harder. Now they’ll have to face the winner between Louisville and Clemson without their best player.

What started as a gut punch against Georgia Tech turned into a rollercoaster. Flagg did eventually return to the bench  — but in a wheelchair. He didn’t play another minute, but seeing him courtside offered Duke fans a brief sense of relief. That relief, however, was short-lived. After the game, head coach Jon Scheyer gave an update that calmed some nerves while raising new questions. “He suffered a sprained ankle, but the X-rays came back negative,” Scheyer said.

“He’s dealing with swelling, so we’d have to be really convinced we should even consider seeing if he can go.” The cautious tone in Scheyer’s voice was unmistakable — Flagg’s long-term health is the priority, even if it means sacrificing an ACC title shot.

Yet, Flagg’s demeanor on Friday hinted at resilience. He walked into the Spectrum Center without a boot or a noticeable limp, hands tucked casually into his pockets as TV cameras and photographers documented his every step. The ACC’s Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year didn’t look like someone sidelined by a serious injury — more like someone preparing for a bigger stage.

This was confirmed by Todd Gibson, sports reporter for WNCN, who stated in an X post that “Duke is at the arena for a shoot around. ALL roster players are here including Cooper Flagg who walked in just like he walked in before yesterday’s game. Not even a hint of a limp.“

But if he is ok, then why does Scheyer not want to play him? Well, it might be related to Duke’s seeding in the NCAA.

How could Duke’s seeding be impacted if Cooper Flagg’s status is uncertain on Sunday night?

Joe Lunardi isn’t hitting the panic button just yet. According to the ESPN analyst, Duke’s No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament should hold — unless Flagg’s injury turns out to be more serious than expected. “If he does not return in the ACC tournament, but with a prognosis of playing early in the NCAA tournament, my guess is the Blue Devils will retain their likely No. 1 seed — it would take a near-certain absence of Flagg’s services for that to change,” Lunardi explained.

Flagg’s impact on Duke’s success is undeniable. The Blue Devils currently boast an ORTG of 128.1 (2nd in the NCAA) and a DRTG of 90.0 (4th in the NCAA), per KenPom — numbers that reflect Flagg’s dominance. He leads Duke in nearly every major statistical category: 604 points (18.9 PPG), 48% from the field, 4.7 made free throws per game, 240 rebounds, 131 assists, 40 blocks, and 49 steals — all while appearing in 32 of Duke’s 33 games. Flagg isn’t just Duke’s best player; he’s the reason they’ve been in the championship conversation all year.

But Duke’s No. 1 seed could still be up in the air. Two days ago, in a press conference, Bubba Cunningham, chair of the NCAA selection committee, stated what could factor into the selection committee’s decision. “Every game does matter,” Cunningham said. “We’ll be watching the tournaments. The top seeds in most of these leagues are obviously in the tournament. I think the biggest distinction for us will be when we actually do the scrubbing. How does one team compare to the team that would be above them?”

ESPN’s Myron Medcalf sees this as a potential turning point. “If we get information that Flagg’s ankle injury could linger, it could impact the conversation about the overall No. 1 seed,” Medcalf explained. “Barring any update that would indicate Flagg could be out for a long stretch, it’s doubtful that this news would erase Duke’s complete body of work from the season and strip the Blue Devils of that top seed.”

With Flagg’s status hanging in the balance, Duke’s fate as a top seed is no longer in their hands — and the margin for error just got a lot smaller.