Maliq Brown injury update: Jon Scheyer shares positive news on Duke forward's health ahead of Sweet 16 clash

The Duke Blue Devils, coached by Jon Scheyer, are dancing through their way in this year's March Madness. Earlier on Sunday, they defeated the ninth-seeded Baylor Bears by 23 points, 89-66, as the top seed of the East region for their second round victory of the 2025 national tournament.

Inching closer to their goal of a national title, it seems as though the Blue Devils will be beefed up further as junior forward Maliq Brown could return for the team's Sweet 16 matchup on March 27. Brown has been nursing a shoulder injury for two weeks, which has since sidelined him from action.

During his latest media availability, Scheyer shared the news, indicating that his third-year swingman is a game-time decision and for him to play in their much-awaited semifinal game to the NCAA Final Four is currently at maybe, through which Brown is in the latter stages of his recovery.

"Jon Scheyer says Maliq Brown is day-to-day but there's a chance he could be available for tomorrow night's game against Arizona," Scheyer was quoted as saying per college basketball insider Jeff Borzello.

Brown suffered the injury during Duke's ACC tournament quarterfinal victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, where they won by eight points, 78-70, back on March 13. He sustained the shoulder injury in the first half, where he previously finished the fixture with just six minutes of playing time and no stats tallied.

His return could directly benefit Cooper Flagg and Co., as Brown will surely add versatility and skill as a lengthy wing who could play both outside and inside. Previously though, Brown has missed games in the 2024-2025 regular season due to his toe and knee, but is expected to make a full recovery.

As a transferee from the Syracuse Orange in his third stint of college basketball, Brown was averaging 2.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.6 and 1.3 steals per contest as a two-way player for the Blue Devils.

The Duke Blue Devils are gunning for their first national championship in a decade

The last time the Duke Blue Devils won it all in March Madness was about a decade ago in 2015, when they won it with the likes of Quinn Cook, Grayson Allen and Jahlil Okafor.

Given that the program is one of the most storied in the collegiate hoops landscape, a return to the mountaintop would tremendously protect the school's legacy.

The Blue Devils' 2025 national tourney run continues on Thursday, March 27, where they will be matched up against the gutsy fourth-seeded Arizona Wildcats, through which a national chip gives them their sixth in program history.