- 14 points, 7 rebounds in 22 minutes of court time
- Recovered from ACC Tournament ankle injury in 6 days
- Team-high +31 efficiency rating during court presence
- Featured underwater treadmill rehab strategy
When Cooper Flagg stepped onto the PNC Arena court Friday, the basketball world witnessed why experts predict he'll be the #1 NBA draft pick. The 18-year-old freshman demonstrated remarkable resilience after completing an accelerated 144-hour rehabilitation program for his sprained ankle, showcasing his signature combination of court vision and defensive anticipation.
Duke's medical team implemented cutting-edge recovery protocols including aquatic therapy sessions that increased blood flow by 40% compared to traditional methods. This approach enabled Flagg to maintain his vertical leap capacity despite limited land-based training - a critical factor against taller opponents in the tournament's later rounds.
The Maine native's performance catalyzed a $2.3 million surge in Duke championship futures bets across North Carolina sportsbooks within 3 hours of the game's conclusion. Regional economic analysts note March Madness success could generate $18M in additional revenue for Raleigh businesses through Final Four weekend.
Flagg's backdoor dunk at the 8:14 mark exemplified his spatial awareness, creating a 12-second sequence that trended across social platforms with 2.1M views. Teammate Kon Knueppel observed post-game: His lateral movement during defensive rotations surpassed pre-injury benchmarks.
With Maliq Brown's shoulder injury creating defensive gaps, Flagg's 2 blocks per game average becomes increasingly vital. Advanced metrics show Duke's defensive efficiency drops 22% when Flagg rests - a statistic opponents will target as tournament competition intensifies.