Duke’s Scheyer irritated amid Flagg’s cramping issue

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff WriterNov 9, 2024, 03:48 PM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

After Duke star Cooper Flagg battled with cramping concerns in a win over Army, coach Jon Scheyer stated he is “not delighted” and wants answers.Flagg, the agreement No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 takes in Duke’s 100-58 success over Army on Friday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. But the young star missed most of the second half since of constraining issues.Scheyer opened his postgame news conference with a pledge that he would assemble with the team’s training personnel to solve the concern.”We have actually got to help him,”Scheyer stated.” We’ve got to assist him. I’m not delighted about it, for him. We’ve got to assist him. And we will. Right after [Friday’s game], I can guarantee you I’m going to be meeting [with the team’s training staff] I don’t care if it’s all night. We can’t have that happen. Bottom line.”

Flagg, whom LeBron James has called the future of the NBA, had a dominant first half in the game before he struggled with cramps. It’s the 2nd time in three years that a leading Duke freshman has actually had those issues.At the start of the 2021-22 season, constraining problems forced previous Duke star Paolo Banchero to miss parts of his team’s matchups versus Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Chicago and a Las Vegas showdown with Chet Holmgren and Gonzaga before Thanksgiving that year.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Duke turned to a scientist who performed a “sweat test “on Banchero to assist him address the concern. Following that assessment, Banchero started to drink a special fluid called BOA during games to prevent cramps after those early challenges.In the second half on Friday, Flagg hopped to the bench and grabbed a bottle of Gatorade before he took a seat. He missed out on the majority of the second half.Scheyer said the cramping issues interfered with Flagg’s rhythm, and he does not want the problem to impede him going forward. “I believed he had it going, too,”Scheyer said about Flagg’s effort prior to the cramping issues. “That very first half, he was really controlling the whole game with his rebounding, his death, his playmaking, his scoring. He was assertive shooting the ball. “