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Dallas Mavericks He won the Cooper Flag sweepstakes earlier this week, securing his first overall selection for this year’s NBA Draft.
Mavs has already been hinted at, but the picks are not available in trades and all signs point to taking them Dukestar.
It is equivalent to Dallas’ relief, who traded Luka Doncic during the season.
There was speculation that the Mavericks were only 1.8% likely to win the first pick, so there was speculation that they were equipped with the lottery.
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Duke Blue Devils Forward Cooper Flag responds to the second half of Dean E. Smith Center. (Bob Dongnan/Image Image)
Either way, it’s a huge boost for Mavs. They joined Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson, earning the fourth freshman player to win a wooden award.
However, Stephen A. Smith said Flag’s skills were not the only reason to choose him.
“There are people who have that potential, and when they’re white and you’re in America, you have that guy. I’m telling you now,” Smith said in Wednesday’s edition of First Take.
Smith backtracked the TAD, noting that he shouldn’t strictly choose Flagg because he is white.
The Dallas Mavericks celebrate their victory in the NBA Draft Lottery. (AP/Image)
“The first order for business is that he can ball,” Smith added. “It’s because he can play, but the fact that he’s white and marketable. Even his name makes him more commercial. I’m not giving it to him at all.”
Smith’s comments repeat some of the things he made about Caitlyn Clark last year. WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson.
“I think that’s a big deal. A lot of people might say it’s not black and white, but for me it is,” Wilson said at the time. “It’s because you can really be first class in what you are as a black woman, but that’s something people don’t want to see.
“They don’t think it’s marketable, so it doesn’t matter how hard I work. It doesn’t matter what we all do as black women. We’re still under the rug. So when people say it’s not about race, it boils my blood.”
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flag (2) dribbles the ball against Houston Cougars forward J’Wan Roberts (13) in the first half of the final four games during the 2025 NCAA tournament at the Alamodome. (Bob Dongnan/Image Image)
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The NBA draft, in which Flag officially discovers his professional destination, is scheduled for June 25th.
