Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg is expected to miss the ACC semifinals against rival North Carolina Friday night after injuring his ankle Thursday, NJ Advance Media has learned.
Asked if there was any chance Flagg would play, a source close to him said, “None.”
“It’s not about being ready to go tomorrow,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “That’s not the most important thing for us. We’ve got to see if we can get him right for this run that we can make in the [NCAA] tournament.
“But I would have to be really convinced that we should even consider seeing if he can go [Friday]. 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.”
Scheyer said X-rays showed no fracture for Flagg, the ACC’s player and newcomer of the year, who averaged 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists during the regular season.
The 6-foot-9 Flagg, the presumed No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, rolled the ankle in the first half of the top-ranked Blue Devils’ 78-70 ACC Tournament quarterfinal win over Georgia Tech.
It came moments after defensive whiz Maliq Brown had to be helped to the locker room, his left arm hanging limply by his side after he again dislocated his left shoulder.
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