Cooper Flagg, despite nursing an ankle injury, remained resolute in celebrating his team, Duke’s, Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament victory. Missing two games straight didn’t stop the determined Flagg from attempting to climb a ladder and take a piece of the net, a symbolic gesture of triumph. As fans and teammates watched, he navigated scattered confetti with a sprained left ankle towards the ladder.
Cautions were shouted from the crowd, “Be careful, brotha!” as Flagg cautiously climbed the ladder. As he retrieved his memorabilia and descended, he missed the lowest step, landing on his injured foot, causing a brief moment of unsteady stepping. “Just don’t hurt yourself getting off the ladder, please,” echoed from the sidelines, capturing the attention the freshman has demanded all season. As a standout in his NCAA tournament debut, Flagg, yet only 18, has been named a unanimous Associated Press first-team All-American. Now navigating an ankle injury, he returns as Duke, the East Region’s top seed, faces challenges ahead.
Sion James, Duke’s graduate guard, emphasized Flagg’s resilience post their game against Wake Forest, acknowledging the mixed sentiments Flagg has faced. “He’s taken it all in stride,” said James. Flagg must now excel in the NCAA Tournament’s spotlight, where college talents often rise to broader fame amidst thrilling moments that captivate fans each spring.
Flagg, standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 205 pounds, embodies countless storylines with his March Madness journey. The ankle injury occurred in their last ACC quarterfinal against Georgia Tech, where an unfortunate landing led to a courtside departure, frustrations evident. Afterward, glimpsed on a wheelchair on TV, Flagg later reemerged, walking independently through the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, sans boot or crutches, to join his team for the game’s second half. Although absent from play since, coach Jon Scheyer hoped for Flagg’s readiness by Friday’s home-state opener against American-Mount St. Mary’s winner, merely 30 minutes from the Duke campus.
Flagg’s team not only mourns his injury but also misfortune with Maliq Brown, their diligent defender, who grappled with a shoulder injury. Further, assistant and defensive coordinator Jai Lucas’ transition at season’s end to Miami’s head coach position shook the staff composition.
“Cooper’s got an opportunity here to do some real hero stuff,” expressed ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock, reflecting on Flagg’s potential comeback narrative, drawing historic inspiration from his heroics after injury and staff changes. “If Cooper Flagg wins the national championship, it’s going to be, ‘Look what he did coming out of the wheelchair in the ACC Tournament,’ just kind of adding to the story.”
Such a story, already captivating, reflects Flagg’s lived expectations dating back to whispers of a prodigy from Maine. Stepping up as the undisputed center of his squad, Duke’s outright regular-season and tournament titles this year translate to entering the NCAAs after a two-week tenure leading the AP Top 25 poll.
Duke’s standout moments include outpacing the future No. 1 NCAA seed Auburn and its star Johni Broome, and Flagg’s ACC freshman record of 42 points against Notre Dame. His dunk against Pittsburgh, visually stuffing a 7-foot defender, remains iconic. In two North Carolina matchups, Flagg dominated through physical and foul challenges alike.
Flagg ranks top at Duke in scoring (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), blocks (1.3), and steals (1.5). His playing versatility is undeniable, underlined by often nearing a triple-double achievement. “Being around this level of coaches and coaching, skill development every single day just helped me immensely,” reflected Flagg on his experiences.
Flagg’s path emerges amid evolving college sports dynamics, inclusive of active player transfers granting de facto freedom. With fifth-year players shaped by COVID-era benefits, like Auburn’s Broome, schools turn focus on tapping talent through transfers over traditional recruits.
Yet Flagg, amid this seniority trend, captures the titular allure directed at heralded freshmen maneuvering marquee March Madness platforms like Duke, Kentucky, or North Carolina.
“Incredible, he’s been incredible all year long,” praised Duke associate head coach Chris Carrawell, post-ACC title win. “Your team kind of follows the personality and the attitude of the best player. And he’s been so selfless.”