Duke Blue Devils star forward Cooper Flagg exited the team's game against Georgia Tech due to an ankle injury.
Read more:Duke Superstar Cooper Flagg Exits ACC Tournament Match With Injury
Flagg seemed to come down awkwardly after grabbing a rebound and he stayed down in some pain for a while.
Everyone on the Duke sidelines held their collective breath as the star winced in pain. Flagg was then helped to the locker room and was in a wheelchair following the injury.
Flagg has been the center point for NBA teams in this draft class for some time now and many see him as one of the next stars in the league. The forward has put together a solid run with Duke, averaging 19.4 points 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game.
The freshman has also shot 49.4 percent from the field and 37.7 percent from 3-point land in 31 games. Flagg has surpassed many of the expectations pundits had when he initially entered the collegiate game.
The short-term status of the projected No. 1 overall draft pick remains in question.
But if Flagg has suffered a serious injury, where does that leave NBA teams at the top of the 2025 NBA Draft?
At first glance, teams should look no further than Rutgers. They have two players who are expected to be taken in the top five of the upcoming draft.
Guard Dylan Harper and forward Ace Bailey are both quality players who could turn a team around. Each would bring a new sense to a franchise and some have even suggested that one of them could be taken No. 1 overall.
Harper has averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. The guard has shot 33.3 percent from distance this year, an area that he needs to work on more consistently.
As for Bailey, he has averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. Bailey can do everything on the court and has many NBA front offices dreaming of the chance to land him.
Another player who could be in the running is forward VJ Edgecombe of Baylor. Edgecomb has put together a strong season for the Bears and NBA teams love his upside.
In 30 games this season, Edgecomb has averaged 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. The forward has also shot 35.3 percent from beyond the 3-point line this year.
While each of these players is great, Flagg still remains the cream of the crop. There is a reason why many see him as a potential superstar in the NBA and the hope is that Flagg avoided serious injury with this fall.
The NBA has waited for years for Flagg's arrival. It would be a shame if an injury affects his draft stock.
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This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 10:45 AM.