ESPN analysts debate whether Duke should rest Cooper Flagg in early NCAA Tournament rounds

Cooper Flagg missed much of the ACC Tournament with a sprained right ankle. Still, Duke rose above and won their conference battle in the end, and now they’re setting the stage for what they hope is a championship run in the NCAA Tournament.

The question for Flagg is whether he’ll be ready for the Blue Devils’ first game on Friday afternoon in the Round of 64. ESPN analysts Seth Greenberg and Sean Farnham debated whether Duke should simply put their star on ice until the Sweet 16, avoiding any further injury trouble in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Evidently, they don’t expect that to be the case for the Blue Devils.

“That’s fiction,” Greenberg responded, regarding whether Duke should rest Flagg until the Sweet 16, via Get Up. “This is really simple. This decision will be made by the medical staff, Coach [Jon] Scheyer, his parents and his agent. That’s what it’s going to be. If he’s healthy enough to play, he’s going to work out today. He’ll have a real practice, probably on Wednesday or Thursday. They don’t play until Friday. They will evaluate him. If he has any setbacks, he won’t play in the first game. That’s just the way it is.

“If he doesn’t have any setbacks, and they feel he’s made progress and he’s good to go, he’s going to play. That’s just the way it is. So, you know — I think this week will tell a lot. If he’s good to go, they will play him. If he’s not 100%, they won’t.”

All told, it’s easy to see why Flagg would want to play if he’s healthy, regardless if Duke can get the job done without him in the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Farnham was in agreement with Greenberg’s take, believing the Blue Devils can’t take any chances in March.

“I agree with what Coach Greenberg just said. You can rest him in that opening round game, but you’re going to need him in the Round of 32, there’s no doubt about it,” Farnham added, regarding whether Duke needs Flagg to make the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

“The NCAA Tournament is too difficult to go without a player like Cooper Flagg. It’s his play-making, his basketball IQ, how they run their offense through him, [it] changes up how they have to attack, and I think that’s gonna be the most important aspect of Cooper Flagg for Duke to make a run to the national championship.”

Cooper Flagg has helped Duke have their most successful season in recent memory this year, and they’re hoping to cap it off with being crowned national champions at the end of it all. He’ll need to be 100% to get the job done, and if he’s back to form this weekend, it’s hard to see the Blue Devils holding him out.