'Cooper Flagg is a white guy' — Peter Rosenberg's ESPN remark sparks debate over race and rising NBA stars
Cooper Flagg made headlines the moment he was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Standing at 6'8" and coming off a dominant season at Duke, his talent is undeniable.
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But it wasn't just his skills that caught attention. An ESPN commentator's remark 'Cooper Flagg is a white guy' quickly turned the spotlight toward something bigger than basketball: a renewed discussion around race in sports.
Cooper Flagg becomes the first American born white No 1 NBA pick since Kent Benson in 1977
Cooper Flagg was picked first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. This made him the first American-born white player to be drafted No. 1 since Kent Benson back in 1977. During his 37 games at Duke, Flagg put up impressive stats with an average of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals and blocks per game, shooting 48% overall and 38.5% from beyond the arc.
He also racked up several prestigious awards, including the Wooden Award, Naismith, Oscar Robertson, and ACC Player of the Year.
On ESPN's First Take June 27, syndicated host Peter Rosenberg declared — 'Cooper Flagg is a white guy, maybe the best white American prospect since Larry Bird. Let's not act as if we don't live in America and we're not seeing what's happening with Caitlin Clark in the WNBA... if he's nearly as good as people expect...
no one's going to be more intriguing or get more eyeballs than what Cooper Flagg's doing in Dallas..'.
He tied this observation to Caitlin Clark's swift rise, suggesting that race is a major factor in media intrigue. According to Rosenberg, if Flagg meets the expectations, the racial narrative could elevate him to a "cultural phenomenon" and pull in a huge audience.
Still, some critics have taken issue with this viewpoint, calling it simplistic—or perhaps even racially charged.
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Many contend that Flagg's acclaim is due to his exceptional play on the court, not just his ethnicity. One comment on The Shadow League put it very straightforwardly — 'Caitlin Clark is popular because she's a historically great player, not because she's white, and the same is true for Cooper Flagg'.
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This conversation mirrors the situation with Clark. Last year, Rosenberg sparked debate by dubbing her the "face of white fragility," accusing the media of having a bias in racial storytelling. Additionally, Flagg's entry comes as the Mavericks part ways with Luka Doncic and seek to redefine their identity nationally—and racially—as a new American star emerges.
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