Latest news with #WoodenAward
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'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. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 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. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 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'. Also Read: 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.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bob Myers issues blunt Victor Wembanyama-Cooper Flagg Year 1 take
The post Bob Myers issues blunt Victor Wembanyama-Cooper Flagg Year 1 take appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Dallas Mavericks made NBA history this year, executing a stunning midseason trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers without fielding offers from around the league. While the decision initially sparked backlash, Dallas quickly turned the page by landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a selection they used to acquire Duke star Cooper Flagg. Advertisement Flagg, widely hailed as the most highly touted American prospect since his now-teammate Anthony Davis in 2012, joined a Mavericks roster already stacked with veterans like Davis and Kyrie Irving. Despite the gravity of expectations, Flagg's arrival has drawn comparisons to San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick considered by many to be the best prospect since LeBron James in 2003. Speaking on ESPN during the draft broadcast, former Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers made a bold claim. 'The unique thing about Cooper Flagg, Malika, is he impacts winning,' Myers said. 'More so than a lot of players. I'm gonna say something that might be controversial: Victor Wembanyama got a lot of attention being the #1 pick. I could see Cooper Flagg impacting winning more than Victor did in his rookie year. The reason is Cooper Flagg is as NBA-ready as they come. He guards. He defends. He blocks. He steals, and he went to a team that is very good already.' Flagg's statistical output at Duke backs up Bob Myers' confidence. In his lone collegiate season, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 38.5% from three and 84% from the free-throw line. His offensive efficiency was elite, ranking in the 85th percentile or higher in pick-and-rolls, post-ups, and transition scoring, according to Synergy Analytics. Advertisement His awards included the Wooden Award, ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC All-Defensive Team honors, and the Associated Press Men's National Player of the Year, becoming just the fourth freshman in history to win the latter. He also set the ACC freshman scoring record with 42 points against Notre Dame. Related: Mavericks' Cooper Flagg grabs attention with 1-word post after NBA Draft Related: Potential Cooper Flagg-Bronny James faceoff gets a date
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mavericks' Cooper Flagg breaks silence on draft lottery rigging conspiracies
The post Mavericks' Cooper Flagg breaks silence on draft lottery rigging conspiracies appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Dallas Mavericks officially selected Duke star forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night, confirming what many had anticipated for months. Flagg, the 18-year-old phenom from Maine, had long been projected as the top prospect of the class, and Dallas landed him despite entering the draft lottery with just a 1.8% chance of securing the first pick. Advertisement The improbability of the Mavericks winning the lottery, especially just three months after trading franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, has led to widespread speculation online. Some fans and conspiracy theorists allege the lottery was manipulated to compensate the Mavericks for the controversial trade, which brought Anthony Davis to Dallas in a three-team deal that also included the Utah Jazz. When asked directly about the lottery rigging theories by OutKick on draft night, Flagg responded with a light chuckle. 'I don't know what to say about that,' Flagg noted. 'I have no insider information if that's what you're looking for, but I just feel blessed for the way it all worked out.' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the speculation earlier this week, stating during a pre-draft press conference that the league was not tipped off in advance about the Doncic trade. Advertisement 'Luka is a good example where the teams are very secretive; they're not necessarily tipping us off,' Silver said. 'We had heard about it before the public, but it was only a matter of hours.' Silver also clarified that he has no authority to veto trades and wouldn't have done so even if he did. Regardless of the noise surrounding the process, the Mavericks have now secured one of the most hyped draft prospects in recent memory. Flagg played one season at Duke, leading the team to a Final Four appearance and averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. He also shot 38.5% from 3-point range and 84% from the free-throw line. According to Synergy Analytics, he ranked in the 85th percentile or better in scoring as a ball handler in pick-and-rolls, post-ups, and transition. Flagg's awards include winning the Wooden Award as the nation's top college player, being named ACC Rookie of the Year, and making the ACC All-Defensive Team. He also set an ACC freshman record by scoring 42 points against Notre Dame and became only the fourth freshman in history to win the Associated Press Men's National Player of the Year. Advertisement Flagg was the Mavericks' second-ever No. 1 overall pick in the NBA, the first since they selected Mark Aguirre in 1981. Amid backlash from fans over the Doncic trade, Cooper Flagg now represents the hope for a new era in Dallas. Whether or not conspiracy theories persist, the Mavericks are moving forward with a generational talent who could redefine the franchise's future. Related: Mavericks' Nico Harrison makes 'bold' claim on winning Cooper Flagg sweepstakes Related: Mavericks' Nico Harrison officially puts Jason Kidd-Knicks rumors to bed
Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
'Dream come true': Flagg picked first in NBA draft
Cooper Flagg anticipated the moment for many months. Still, when the Duke product heard his name called today at No. 1 overall in the NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks, he experienced a flurry of emotions. "I'm feeling amazing," Flagg said as he stood with his family. "It's a dream come true, to be honest. I wouldn't want to share it with anybody else." The Mavericks' announcement ended a months-long buildup for the 18-year-old Maine native, who had long been projected as the top pick. The only question was which team would get a chance to take him, and Dallas earned that opportunity when it won the NBA Draft lottery last month despite 1.8% odds. Flagg figures to quickly provide a new face of the franchise for the Mavericks, who drew ire from their fan base after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last season. The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Flagg helped guide Duke to an NCAA Final Four appearance after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks as a freshman. He won the Wooden Award as the nation's best player along with taking home other honors including Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and an ACC All-Defensive Team nod. The San Antonio Spurs followed with the No. 2 pick, which they used to select Rutgers guard Dylan Harper. The son of longtime NBA player Ron Harper will join a talented roster that includes prized big man Victor Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. Harper said he could not wait to get to San Antonio to prepare for the season. "I'm feeling everything -- all the emotions mixed in one bucket," Harper said. "I think when you play with a bunch of great players, it brings the best out of you. They've got a great young core over there. I'm just ready to get in there and make an impact any way I can with those guys." At No. 3, the Philadelphia 76ers selected guard VJ Edgecombe out of Baylor. He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year after averaging 15 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Bears. The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke guard Kon Knueppel next, which marked the second Blue Devils freshman to be selected in the top four picks. Now, Knueppel will stay in North Carolina to play in the NBA. "It was a big spotlight at Duke," he said. "(We) freshmen didn't shy away from that, and it prepared us for the next level. Hopefully, that will carry over." The Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey out of Rutgers to round out the top five picks. The next three selections were Texas' Tre Johnson to the Washington Wizards at No. 6, Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears to the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 7 and BYU's Egor Demin to the Brooklyn Nets at No. 8. The ninth pick belonged to the Toronto Raptors, who selected forward Collin Murray-Boyles out of South Carolina. Duke big man Khaman Maluach heard his name called at No. 10 overall. The pick belonged to the Houston Rockets, who then sent the draft rights to Maluach to the Phoenix Suns as part of a deal to be finalized for Kevin Durant. Maluach was born in South Sudan and did not discover basketball until he was an adolescent. "I'm here representing the whole continent," Maluach said. "Leaving Africa, I had the whole continent on my back. (I want to be) giving hope to young kids, inspiring young kids and the next generation of African basketball." The Memphis Grizzlies reportedly traded up to grab Washington State swing player Cedric Coward at No. 11. Chicago followed by taking forward Noa Essengue of France at No. 12, and then Atlanta Hawks nabbed Maryland big man Derik Queen at No. 13, then reportedly traded him to the Pelicans. The final pick of the lottery was Arizona forward Carter Bryant, who went to the Spurs at No. 14. The next four picks were Georgetown center Thomas Sorber to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 15, Chinese center Yang Hansen to Portland at No. 16, French center Joan Beringer to the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 17 and Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. to the Jazz at No. 18. Brooklyn ended up with more first-round selections: Nolan Traore of France at No. 19, Drake Powell of North Carolina at No. 22 (via the Hawks), Ben Saraf of Israel at No. 26 and Danny Wolf of Michigan at No. 27. Illinois had back-to-back players selected as the Miami Heat took Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20 and the Utah Jazz took Will Riley at No. 21. Riley reportedly will be dealt to the Wizards. The final batch of first-round picks included Asa Newell of Georgia at No. 23 overall to Atlanta, Nique Clifford of Colorado State at No. 24 overall (drafted by the Thunder and reportedly traded to the Sacramento Kings) and Jase Richardson of Michigan State at No. 25 overall to the Orlando Magic. After Saraf and Wolf went to Brooklyn, the Boston Celtics took Hugo Gonzalez of Spain with the 28th pick. Phoenix selected UConn sharpshooter Liam McNeeley at No. 29 and reportedly dealt him to Charlotte, and the Los Angeles Clippers closed out the first round by taking Penn State big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser. The Mavericks had the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history. They also had the top selection in 1981, when they drafted Mark Aguirre out of DePaul.
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
NBA draft: Cooper Flagg goes to Dallas Mavericks as No 1 overall pick
The Dallas Mavericks did what everyone knew they would on Wednesday when they selected Cooper Flagg as the No 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. 'I'm feeling amazing. It's a dream come true, to be honest,' Flagg said after he was selected, surrounded by his family. 'I wouldn't want to share it with anybody else.' The forward was brilliant in his single year of college basketball at Duke, which had come after he was a highly touted player in high school. When Dallas overcame long odds in this year's draft lottery to win the No 1 overall pick, there was no doubt they would go on to pick the 18-year-old from Maine. It is a move that may go some way to soothing the Mavs fanbase, who erupted in anger when the team traded superstar Luke Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. The 6ft 8in Flagg helped guide Duke to an NCAA Final Four appearance after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks as a freshman. He won the Wooden Award as the nation's best college player along with taking home other honors including ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC All-Defensive Team. The Mavericks had the No 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history. They also had the top selection in 1981, when they drafted Mark Aguirre out of DePaul. The San Antonio Spurs picked Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper with the second overall pick. Harper, son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, will play alongside French phenom Victor Wembanyama on a Spurs team that are starting to look like they could become a force in the Western Conference again after a few downs years. The 76ers then took Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, getting the first sustained burst of loud cheers of the draft from what seemed to be a number of Philadelphia fans who made the trip to Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The first two picks had long been expected, but the No 3 spot was the first one where there was intrigue. Kon Knueppel made it two Duke players in the first four picks when the Charlotte Hornets took him at No 4. Ace Bailey, who could have been in the mix to go third but declined to work out for the 76ers, ended up going at No 5 to Utah. First-round NBA draft picks for 2025 1) Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg, forward, Duke Scouting report: Only the fourth freshman named Associated Press men's national player of the year. Led Final Four team in scoring (19.2), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4). Shot 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% on free throws. Ranked in 85th percentile or better in converting as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls, post-ups and transition, according to Synergy's analytics rankings. Set Atlantic Coast Conference freshman record with 42 points against Notre Dame. Turns 19 in December. 2) San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers Scouting report: Freshman lefty who thrived as scorer (19.4) and lead ballhandler with two-way potential. Notably scored 36 points against Notre Dame, then 37 a day later against then-No 9 Alabama in November. Averaged 4.0 assists and 1.4 steals. Son of former NBA guard Ron Harper. Couldn't lift Rutgers to a winning record despite playing with fellow top prospect Ace Bailey. Turned 19 in March. 3) Philadelphia 76ers – VJ Edgecombe, guard, Baylor Scouting report: Explosive athleticism stands out at both ends. Above-the-rim finisher who creates highlight-reel moments. Freshman ranked among combine leaders in max vertical leap (38.5). Must improve outside shooting consistency (34%), but had seven games with at least three made 3s. Had 11 games with three-plus steals. 4) Charlotte Hornets – Kon Knueppel, forward, Duke Scouting report: Efficient wing scorer. Made 40.6% on 3-pointers. Ranked in Synergy's 98th percentile on spot-up shooting (52.9%). Ranked sixth nationally at the foul line (91.4%). Had 10 games with at least four assists, indicating potential as secondary playmaker. ACC Tournament MVP. Lacks elite athleticism. 5) Utah Jazz – Ace Bailey, forward, Rutgers Scouting report: Versatile, athletic shotmaker with midrange and stepback skills. Streaky shooter had five January games with at least four threes for defense-stretching potential, yet also notable skids at the foul line and behind the arc. Last season's second-ranked recruit couldn't lift Rutgers to a winning record despite playing with fellow top prospect Dylan Harper. Turns 19 in August. 6) Washington Wizards – Tre Johnson, guard, Texas Scouting report: Southeastern Conference's scoring leader (19.9) who also led all Division I freshmen. Broke Kevin Durant's freshman Longhorns record with 39 points against Arkansas. Shot 39.7% on three-pointers with 12 games of at least four threes. Shot 87.1% on free throws. Needs strength on a slender frame. Turned 19 in March. 7) New Orleans Pelicans – Jeremiah Fears, guard, Oklahoma Scouting report: Freshman combo guard adept at creating space. Averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Attempted 6.3 free throws per game. Shot 28.4% on threes and averaged 3.4 turnovers. Must add strength. Turns 19 in October. 8) Brooklyn Nets – Egor Demin, guard/forward, BYU Scouting report: Russian playmaker with size. Averaged 5.5 assists, second among Division I freshmen. Had 15 assists against two turnovers in 54 minutes in the last two games for a Sweet 16 team. Must improve shooting (27.3% on threes, 69.5% on free throws). 9) Toronto Raptors – Collin Murray-Boyles, forward, South Carolina Scouting report: Sophomore with 7ft 1in wingspan and two-way potential. Averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. Thrived in halfcourt by shooting 57.9% to rank in Synergy's 88th percentile. Shooting is a concern after hitting 23.1% (9 of 39) of three-pointers and 69.5% of free throws in two seasons. 10) Houston Rockets (traded to Phoenix Suns) – Khaman Maluach, center, Duke Scouting report: Has length and size of elite rim protector and lob threat. Runs floor well and thrived in pick-and-roll chances, ranking in Synergy's 99th percentile. Still-developing offensive skillset with 71.2% shooting largely coming on dunks and putbacks. Had the combine's biggest wingspan at 7ft 7.75in. Guardian
