Potential No. 1 NBA Draft Pick Injured in ACC Tournament

Attempting a comeback versus Georgia Tech in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, projected top pick Cooper Flagg rose high in the air for a rebound, ready to push the pace.

He came down directly on a Georgia Tech defender, turning his ankle hard and promptly falling to the floor. He was able to walk off the floor under his own weight, but did so gingerly, eventually being helped to the locker-room by teammates.

It was later shown on the broadcast that Flagg was being transferred in a wheelchair, and obviously bad sign for his return to today’s game, and likely near future too. He was eventually able to walk back out to the court under his own weight, alluding to a potential lack of structural damage with the ankle injury.

He was ruled out for the rest of Thursday's game.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for Flagg or Duke, as they were currently amidst an ACC Tournament run, and prepping for a deep run into the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s top team.

Regardless of injury, Flagg is set to be the top pick at the 2025 NBA Draft in June, having led Duke to a 28-3 regular season record with high-powered play for a true freshman.

Across his 31 games, he averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, shooting 49% overall and 38% from beyond the arc. He's been one of the best players in the country this season, regardless of class, and is currently projected to come away with the National Player of the Year Award.

For now, Duke will need to navigate without Flagg. They have two remaining five stars in Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, but the Maine product has been the lifeblood of the team so far this season.

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