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Dallas Mavericks won Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes earlier this week when they secured the first total selection of this year’s NBA draft.
Mavs has already suggested that the election is not available in a trade and all signs point out that they are taking the duchy star.
That’s the equivalent of a bailout for Dallas that traded Luka Dončić during the season.
Because Mavericks had only a 1.8% chance of getting the first choice, there has been speculation that the lottery was rigged.
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Duke Blue Devils Forward Cooper Flagg responds in the second half at the Dean E. Smith Center. (Bob Donnan/Imag photos)
Either way, it’s a huge boost for Mavs that gets just the fourth player who wins the tree award as a beginner joining Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson.
However, Stephen A. Smith said Flagg’s skill was not the only reason to choose him.
“When you have someone with that kind of potential and they are white and you are in America, you are holding that guy. I’ll tell you right now,” Smith said on Wednesday’s edition of “First Take.”
Smith backtracked a bit, noting that Mavs didn’t have to choose flag strictly because he’s white.
Dallas Mavericks celebrate winning NBA Draft Lottery. (AP/IMAGN)
“The first rules of procedure is that he can ball,” Smith added. “It’s because he can play, but the fact that he is white, marketable – even his name makes him more marketable. I don’t pass it on at all.”
Smith’s comments repeated some about Caitlin Clark last year, especially WNBA MVP a’ja Wilson.
“I think it’s a huge thing. I think many people might say it’s not about black and white, but for me it’s,” Wilson said at the time. “It’s really because you can be top of what you are like a black woman, but still it might be something that people don’t want to see.
“They don’t see it as marketable, so it doesn’t matter how hard I work. It doesn’t matter what we all do like black women, we’re still swept under the rug. That’s why it boils my blood when people say it’s not about race because it is.”
Duke Blue Devils Forward Cooper Flagg (2) dribbles the ball against Houston Cougars Frem J’wan Roberts (13) during the first half of a Final Four game during the NCAA tournament in 2025 at Alamodome. (Bob Donnan/Imag photos)
The NBA draft, where Flagg will formally find out its professional destination, is scheduled for June 25.
