CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cooper Flagg went airborne to snag a rebound in his first ACC Tournament game when Duke’s freshman star landed awkwardly and crashed to the court, holding his left ankle and writhing in pain.
It came moments after defensive whiz Maliq Brown had to be helped to the locker room, his left arm hanging limply by his side.
And just like that, top-ranked Duke now faces serious injury questions that threaten to linger well beyond however long the Blue Devils play this week in Charlotte.
Coach Jon Scheyer said it’s a “real long shot” that the 18-year-old Flagg — regarded as a favorite to be the No. 1 overall NBA draft pick whenever he jumps to the pros — will be able to play in the Atlantic Coast Conference semifinals due to that sprained ankle suffered during Thursday’s quarterfinal win against Georgia Tech.
And it’s too early to say whether Brown will make it back at all. He was taken to a nearby hospital after dislocating his left shoulder again less than a week after returning from the injury. He plays a vital defensive role with his ability to switch screens, guard multiple positions and use his length to tally offense-disrupting deflections.
The injuries are concerning enough for a team that had to rally from 14 down to win Thursday, matching its biggest deficit of the season. But there’s another complication: Any absence, rehab or recovery comes with March Madness starting next week, a fact Scheyer alluded to in discussing Flagg’s injury.
“It’s not about being ready to go tomorrow,” 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 Flagg was already dealing with swelling. He said X-rays showed no fracture for Flagg, who was named Tuesday as The Associated Press league player and newcomer of the year.
Flagg wasn’t available to speak with reporters afterward because he was receiving treatment for the injury.
“Cooper’s one of the toughest guys I know,” guard Sion James said, adding: “I haven’t gotten a a chance to see him or talk to him but I really hope he’s feeling a lot better.”
The Blue Devils were trailing 26-17 late in the first half when Flagg went up for a rebound and appeared to have his left foot clip the right foot of Georgia Tech’s Baye Ndongo as he came down in the paint, causing his ankle to roll and sending Flagg down grabbing at the joint with 2:46 left in the half.
Flagg hobbled back to the bench in distress, then bent over with his hands on the seats and pounded a chair with his right fist.
After sitting on the bench for a few minutes, Flagg got up and put his arms around two teammates and was taken to the locker room for observation. He was later shown in a wheelchair in the bowels of the Spectrum Center, though he later walked out under his own power. He rejoined the bench for the second half but didn’t return to the game.
When Scheyer greeted each player with a high-five or a hug after the final horn, Flagg walked gingerly with his teammates before shaking hands with his coach as he filed into the locker room.
As for Brown, he had missed roughly three weeks of action with a dislocated left shoulder before returning last weekend at North Carolina and playing a major role in Duke’s decisive run that highlighted his importance to the Blue Devils’ long-term prospects.
But moments before Flagg went down, separated by roughly two minutes of game action, the Blue Devils lost Brown as he showed his versatility by guarding Georgia Tech guard Naithan George on the perimeter.
George tried to dribble to his right at the top of the key before banging into Brown’s left shoulder. He collected himself, did a jump-step back and then charged forward to try to beat Brown into the paint. Brown reached with his left arm to try to poke the ball loose and immediately grabbed at the shoulder, sporting a black supportive sleeve, and doubled over in pain.
Trainer Jose Fonseca then had to guide the still bent-over Brown off the court and to the locker room.
The Flagg and Brown injuries are a major hit at both ends for the only team ranked in the top five nationally in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metrics for offense (128.7 points per 100 possessions) and defense (89.9).
“We worried about it after the game,” Duke guard Tyrese Proctor said. “Obviously it’s tough to see them go down. But it’s basketball, it happens. It’s unfortunate. We’re going to get them right and they’re going to be good and we’ll just continue to play our game.”
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