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[Saba Sports News] Cooper Flagg’s ankle injury during Duke’s ACC Tournament game on Thursday had fans all cracking the same joke.
Flagg, who scored just 2 points in 15 minutes during Duke’s 78-70 win over Georgia Tech, suffered a sprained ankle and was carted off in a wheelchair. With the Blue Devils set to face North Carolina in the semifinals on Friday, his status remains uncertain.
As the ACC Player of the Year and a projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg’s injury immediately sparked a wave of jokes linking him to the Philadelphia 76ers. Fans couldn’t help but point out that his injury history would make him a perfect fit for a franchise notorious for its top draft picks dealing with early career setbacks.
The comparisons referenced Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz—three former Sixers lottery picks who struggled with injuries upon entering the league. Embiid missed his entire rookie season with a broken foot, Simmons suffered the same fate in 2016, and Fultz battled mysterious shoulder issues that derailed his shooting.
With the Sixers currently holding the fifth-best lottery odds in the NBA, their chances of landing the No. 1 pick—and potentially drafting Flagg—sit around 10%. Given their history, fans couldn’t resist pointing out the eerie possibility of another top pick dealing with injuries in Philadelphia.