Cooper Flagg injury update: Duke HC Jon Scheyer provides positive update on star after collapsing on court

Duke star forward Cooper Flagg sprained an ankle during the top-ranked Blue Devils’ 78–70 win over Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday. Flagg, one of the top prospects for the 2025 NBA draft, left the game late in the first half.

After the game, Duke coach Jon Scheyer provided a positive update, indicating that the injury may not be serious.

“Cooper sprained his ankle," Scheyer said, via FOX College Hoops. "X-rays were negative, which was great. We just have to understand there’s going to be swelling and see how he recovers and how he goes from there.”

Cooper Flagg injury: What happened?

Cooper Flagg’s injury occurred in the first half when he jumped for a defensive rebound and landed badly on his left ankle. Flagg immediately fell to the ground in pain, clutching his ankle.

The team staff helped him off the court and wheeled him to the locker room for further evaluation and X-rays. Flagg returned to the bench without the wheelchair at the beginning of the second half.

Flagg had a difficult start to the game, shooting just 1 of 7 from the field and scoring only two points before the injury, and was ruled out for the remainder of the game as a precaution.

Cooper Flagg has been a key performer for Duke all season, averaging 19.4 points per game on 49.4% shooting, including 37.7% from 3-point range. He has also contributed 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.

Flagg’s strong season has earned him several accolades, including ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year and a spot on the All-ACC first team.

While the immediate concern about Flagg’s injury has been eased, his status for the ACC semifinal remains uncertain.

With the win over Georgia Tech, No. 1 seed Duke (29-3) advances to the ACC Tournament semifinals. The Blue Devils will face the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between No. 4 Wake Forest and No. 5 North Carolina on Friday at 7 p.m. ET.