Cooper Flagg Overcomes Eye Injury to Propel Duke Past Florida State

The Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team showcased their resilience with a decisive 100-65 victory over Florida State on Saturday night. Star player Cooper Flagg played a pivotal role, despite battling through an eye injury.

Flagg sustained the injury during the first half after a hard foul led to a poke in the eye. The impact forced him to sit on the sidelines for approximately 11 minutes. However, he made a strong comeback, returning to the court to start the second half, contributing 16 points to his team’s commanding win.

Teammates Rally Around Flagg

Teammate Sion James testified to Flagg’s tenacity. He remarked on the young player’s strength, saying, “He was beat up and scratched up. Cooper is one of the toughest guys I’ve ever played with. I trusted that if he was all right, he’d be back. He was back and better than ever.” This underscores the strong camaraderie among the Duke players, emphasizing their ability to support one another during critical moments.

Coach’s Concern for Flagg

Duke’s head coach Jon Scheyer described Flagg’s injury as a bruised eyelid. He reflected on the situation, admitting that the prospect of eye injuries is often overlooked by players. “As a basketball player, you don’t think about injuring your eye,” Scheyer stated. He expressed initial concern for Flagg’s well-being and was visibly nervous about the potential seriousness of the injury. The coach noted, “I thought he was scared at first, rightfully so, because you don’t know how serious or permanent it is.”