Cooper Flagg averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game during the 2024-25 season for Duke. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Duke grabbed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and now its attention turns to getting its best player healthy to help it make a run.

Cooper Flagg suffered a badly sprained ankle during the ACC tournament and while the Blue Devils were able to win the league’s postseason dance without him, they will need him to make a run in the NCAA tournament.

On Sunday, after the bracket was selected, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer went on ESPN and discussed his team’s preparation for the tournament. Prominent among the topics was Flagg’s return to action.

“Well from my perspective it’s full-steam ahead,” Scheyer said. “I want to get Coop back as quickly as we can and he wants to do the same… We’re hopeful he can start to progress starting tomorrow with doing some on-court work and then build up to where he can practice later in the week. So our goal is for Friday, no question about it. I know that’s his goal as well.”

Duke will face the winner of American and Mount St. Mary’s, who will face off in Dayton on Wednesday in the First Four. The Blue Devils probably won’t need their superstar freshman to play full minutes in that game if he isn’t fully healthy.

Flagg is the odds-on favorite to win national player of the year. In 32 games this season he is averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals in 30.4 minutes per game. Duke needs him in the lineup if it hopes to make a run at a national title.