Is Cooper Flagg playing tonight? Exploring Duke star's availability vs UNC (March 14)

Cooper Flagg is unlikely to suit up for No. 1-seeded Duke (29-3, 19-1) when they take on No. 5-seeded North Carolina (22-12, 13-7) in the ACC Tournament semifinals on Friday. This was made clear by Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer after their quarterfinal win over Georgia Tech.

Flagg injured his left ankle in the first half of Duke’s 78-70 victory over Georgia Tech on Thursday after going for a rebound. The 18-year-old was unable to walk and had to be helped up and off the court by his teammates before leaving via a wheelchair.

"To be honest with you, I would have to be, like, 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," Scheyer said. "But I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go tomorrow. He may not be able to go anyway. He probably won't be able to go anyway. But I think it's a real long shot. A real long shot."

After further examination, the bad ankle was retaped, and he was declared doubtful for the remainder of the contest. After the game, Scheyer informed the media that Flagg's X-rays were "negative."

"Cooper, he just came down, sprained his ankle, X-rays were negative, which is great," Scheyer said. "We just have to understand there's going to be swelling and see how he recovers and how he goes from there."

NCAA Basketball: Duke at North Carolina - Source: Imagn

Meanwhile, North Carolina will be looking to take advantage of Flagg’s absence. The Tar Heels need a win over Duke to increase their chances of playing in the NCAA Tournament, as a defeat could mean they miss out.

UNC showed grit to defeat Wake Forest 68-59 in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal on Thursday afternoon.

This will be the third meeting between both teams this season, with the Blue Devils triumphing in their two meetings earlier this season. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center on Friday.

Potential effect of Cooper Flagg’s injury on Duke

Flagg has undoubtedly been the Blue Devils' main force this season, with the freshman producing the type of performances that have made him a prospective No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA draft and national player of the year.

The guard leads Duke in all relevant categories, such as points (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.2). Missing such a player will affect any team, and there are projections that Duke’s seeding could be affected for the upcoming NCAA Tournament if he is declared out for the season.